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Those doing Music at Uni..
If your doing music at university, not conservatoire, had you already passed your grade 8 on your main instrument?
If you haven't passed it does it put you at a disadvantage? I no not all uni's say grade 8 in necessary although they like it/if your not doing performance further you don't need to have passed it..
If you haven't passed it does it put you at a disadvantage? I no not all uni's say grade 8 in necessary although they like it/if your not doing performance further you don't need to have passed it..
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When I applied to to do music at uni I had grade 8 but I don't think it puts you at a disadvantage if you haven't got it. My friend has just got her grade 8 and she is in the final year of her music degree. It depends which course you look at but a lot of courses don't weight performance elements as heavily as the academic ones, and for some I think you can choose not to do it at all. So no, I don't think it would be a disadvantage.
I think it really depends on what the uni specifies. IIRC, most of them say Grade 8 standard, meaning you could be working towards the exam/be at the standard but just not like doing exams, etc.
I'm presuming you're asking because of your personal situation: I think it would be a good idea to have a look on UCAS at the Music courses at the universities you want to apply for. Look very carefully at the extra requirements: does it say Grade 8, Grade 8 Distinction, Grade 8 standard or Grade 8 Distinction standard (I don't think many of them ask for Distinction, just putting that in case!)
Tbh, you don't need to have done your Grade 8 exam to audition for a conservatoire, you just need to be at the standard (well, that's the official line anyway, I think it works different in practise...), so I don't see why universities would demand a Grade 8 certificate. I did my first year Music recital a few weeks ago and for that you had to be Grade 8 standard minimum (again, the official line, works slightly differently in practise...)
If you have any particular universities in mind, e-mail them explaining your situation and see what they say. Generally it's better to have done and passed the Grade 8 exam, because then it's harder for people to doubt your abilities, but I doubt it would be an absolute requirement
I'm presuming you're asking because of your personal situation: I think it would be a good idea to have a look on UCAS at the Music courses at the universities you want to apply for. Look very carefully at the extra requirements: does it say Grade 8, Grade 8 Distinction, Grade 8 standard or Grade 8 Distinction standard (I don't think many of them ask for Distinction, just putting that in case!)
Tbh, you don't need to have done your Grade 8 exam to audition for a conservatoire, you just need to be at the standard (well, that's the official line anyway, I think it works different in practise...), so I don't see why universities would demand a Grade 8 certificate. I did my first year Music recital a few weeks ago and for that you had to be Grade 8 standard minimum (again, the official line, works slightly differently in practise...)
If you have any particular universities in mind, e-mail them explaining your situation and see what they say. Generally it's better to have done and passed the Grade 8 exam, because then it's harder for people to doubt your abilities, but I doubt it would be an absolute requirement
Ok thanks.
Well at the moment I'm looking a Newcastle, Royal Holloway..
I emailed RH about it and they said that they have no minimum grade requirement which to be fair i found odd.. but that is good for me!
And on Newcastles site they say grade 8 standard only if performance options are taken.. But i'm going to their open day in a few weeks so i'll enquire there as well
Well at the moment I'm looking a Newcastle, Royal Holloway..
I emailed RH about it and they said that they have no minimum grade requirement which to be fair i found odd.. but that is good for me!
And on Newcastles site they say grade 8 standard only if performance options are taken.. But i'm going to their open day in a few weeks so i'll enquire there as well
rdu11
Ok thanks.
Well at the moment I'm looking a Newcastle, Royal Holloway..
I emailed RH about it and they said that they have no minimum grade requirement which to be fair i found odd.. but that is good for me!
And on Newcastles site they say grade 8 standard only if performance options are taken.. But i'm going to their open day in a few weeks so i'll enquire there as well
Well at the moment I'm looking a Newcastle, Royal Holloway..
I emailed RH about it and they said that they have no minimum grade requirement which to be fair i found odd.. but that is good for me!
And on Newcastles site they say grade 8 standard only if performance options are taken.. But i'm going to their open day in a few weeks so i'll enquire there as well
Hmm... that's really weird about RH! UCAS says they do have a minimum requirement: http://search.ucas.co.uk/cgi-bin/hsrun/search/search/StateId/D1Cn33wE8R6VZqP5bicWROoYCk5_1-3_Hz/HAHTpage/search.HsEntryReq.run?n=857205#CSRA
Maybe they just say that on UCAS because RH is famous for Music and they get a lot of people applying with Grade 8 anyway. In practise, it's probably the same as Newcastle, so if you're not intending to do any performing modules, it shouldn't be a problem. In any case, if they've e-mailed you and said that there's no minimum grade requirement, then you've got nothing to worry about!
Although you dont need to have it for many places... even if they say you do, most of them will take the line of ; "if the applicant is of outstanding potential then allowences will be made". it shouldnt ruin your chances if you dont.
All this being said, it certainly would help if you did. as it would for anything you can show them to put up the case that your amazing at music and they need you at their uni... such as choirs, jazz bands, orchestras you play in... compositions youve done.. things your involved with... grades... theory.... shows... other things in the arts etc all will help
All this being said, it certainly would help if you did. as it would for anything you can show them to put up the case that your amazing at music and they need you at their uni... such as choirs, jazz bands, orchestras you play in... compositions youve done.. things your involved with... grades... theory.... shows... other things in the arts etc all will help
I'd basically given up playing by the time I was applying and stuff like that, but decided to get myself a grade 8 distinction anyway cos some of the top courses ask for it.
MB
MB
I was accepted for Royal Holloway with only a very very old grade 5. The only place I applied to that said you had to have it was City I think.
The funny thing is I'm not at a disadvantage for ending up taking it later on (too chicken to do it before) as I'm still one of the more confident performers in my class.
The funny thing is I'm not at a disadvantage for ending up taking it later on (too chicken to do it before) as I'm still one of the more confident performers in my class.
i was put off applying for music degrees because i lost confidence with my d at as level (2 marks off a C..gutted!)
i had also only reached grade 5 piano, sax and theory and just didn't feel that i was good enough to apply to music
i wish i did though and looking back i think that i did have the ability
so in a nutshell, apply to music if it's what you really feel you wanna do and let the uni decide if you're good enough, don't put yourself down before you've even tried for a place on such course, i sure wish that i didnt
i had also only reached grade 5 piano, sax and theory and just didn't feel that i was good enough to apply to music
i wish i did though and looking back i think that i did have the ability
so in a nutshell, apply to music if it's what you really feel you wanna do and let the uni decide if you're good enough, don't put yourself down before you've even tried for a place on such course, i sure wish that i didnt
laurakate1988
i was put off applying for music degrees because i lost confidence with my d at as level (2 marks off a C..gutted!)
i had also only reached grade 5 piano, sax and theory and just didn't feel that i was good enough to apply to music
i wish i did though and looking back i think that i did have the ability
so in a nutshell, apply to music if it's what you really feel you wanna do and let the uni decide if you're good enough, don't put yourself down before you've even tried for a place on such course, i sure wish that i didnt
i had also only reached grade 5 piano, sax and theory and just didn't feel that i was good enough to apply to music
i wish i did though and looking back i think that i did have the ability
so in a nutshell, apply to music if it's what you really feel you wanna do and let the uni decide if you're good enough, don't put yourself down before you've even tried for a place on such course, i sure wish that i didnt
A lot of music courses, without wishing to put people down, aren't actually all that "fussed" about actual grades. If they like you at the interview/audition then they'll give you a place even if you don't have the grade (whether academically or musically) that they want. City said that you had to have grade 8 which I didn't have yet still offered me a place.
tinkerbellejess A lot of music courses, without wishing to put people down, aren't actually all that "fussed" about actual grades. If they like you at the interview/audition then they'll give you a place even if you don't have the grade (whether academically or musically) that they want.
City said that you had to have grade 8 which I didn't have yet still offered me a place.
A lot of music courses, without wishing to put people down, aren't actually all that "fussed" about actual grades. If they like you at the interview/audition then they'll give you a place even if you don't have the grade (whether academically or musically) that they want. City said that you had to have grade 8 which I didn't have yet still offered me a place.
aawww yeah, i really wish that i was confident enough to apply to music
looking back, i passionately hate my sixth form for making me feel crap at both music and drama..i know i'm not so maybe it was jealousy..even the teachers didn't seem to want anyone to go and do better than them...bleugh! going off the point here but yeah, i feel much regret for not having the confidence to give it ago, even more so based on what you just said there
like i got a D at AS level but i imagine there would have been courses out there who'd have took me...when i found out i missed a few marks based on the poor recording quality of my AS level composition i was gutted, as it was summat beyond my control, i only needed 2 more marks to get a C
When i started uni i had a diploma, but a lot of people don't havegrade 8. As long as you work hard you will be fine
I'm at music school and no one does grades here, but everyone goes on to royal college or acedemy - isn't just about how you play at the audition or interview
musicalimogen
I'm at music school and no one does grades here, but everyone goes on to royal college or acedemy - isn't just about how you play at the audition or interview
That made no sense whatsoever?
musicalimogen
I'm at music school and no one does grades here, but everyone goes on to royal college or acedemy - isn't just about how you play at the audition or interview
Really? - but i suppose it is how you play at the audition but i'm not wanting to go to conservatoires and the uni's don't audition.
rdu11
Really? - but i suppose it is how you play at the audition but i'm not wanting to go to conservatoires and the uni's don't audition.
It's true: I remember when I was applying to conservatoires and unis, the RAM said they audition everyone who applies, regardless of whether they've got a Grade 8 certificate or not
tinkerbellejess
That made no sense whatsoever?
sorry, that didn't make any sence. I'm at a school where the normal thing is not to take grades (we have all sorts of internal examinations instead) and everyone goes to a music college or university to do music, hence I've come to the conclusion that you don't need actual grade certificates for music at uni or music college.
musicalimogen
sorry, that didn't make any sence. I'm at a school where the normal thing is not to take grades (we have all sorts of internal examinations instead) and everyone goes to a music college or university to do music, hence I've come to the conclusion that you don't need actual grade certificates for music at uni or music college.
Oooooh, I get you, so you meant that is about the audition, which it is. (That's the bit that confused me)
It works the other way too, you don't need grade 8 to get an audition (although you need to be of that standard), similarly having grade 8 (even distinction) doesn't mean you will get a place either (as my friend found out).
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