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What makes organ scholars so special?

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Rubberband

My friend. I thought you spoke French, cherie?

In all seriousness, you need to decide what degree you actually want to do, first. There are many alternatives to Oxbridge, but this is going to vary, depending on what you do. Also, from your posts on "How many masters degrees shall I do?", etc, I think you're looking at degrees from a very skewed and uninformed perspective right now. It's not like A-levels, totting up as many as you can to flash on your UCAS form/very impressive TSR signature.

I'm learning french, and check post 59 of this thread.

In all seriousness, I don't know what degree I want to do, I don't know what I want to be, I don't know what job I want to get............

Reply 61

Arka

Bekaboo

Very simple. There aren't nearly enough organists of a good enough standard to go around. They're already taking people who have barely done their grade 8 at some of the less prestigious colleges, and nobody wants to risk losing one of the few sufficiently good organists by fluke. Very few people apply for the organ scholarships, so it's barely any extra paperwork or time spent - it's just not feasible to have an additional 10 000 applicants to each university.

I hadn't realised music was considered a central part in the life of the colleges ...

Reply 62

Rubberband

im so academic

I'm learning french, and check post 59 of this thread.

In all seriousness, I don't know what degree I want to do, I don't know what I want to be, I don't know what job I want to get............

In that case - stop thinking about university. Pick a good selection of solid, core subjects for A-level that leaves your options open. Since you'll be exploring them in a lot more depth than you have done for GCSE, you should start to get a feel for whether you could seriously stand taking it to degree level. That's really what you should be focusing on right now.

Reply 63

01zaporozhets

Aconite

Another slightly worrying thing is that 75% of paedophiles are known to play the organ. Not necessarily very well, but they do play. The other 25% play the accordion.

Yeah, I'd heard that, although I can't remember where. Not all paedophiles are organists, but all organists are paedophiles. That's why it takes such incentives to lure them into a university.

Reply 64

Cirsium

Arka

I hadn't realised music was considered a central part in the life of the colleges ...

No organ scholar = no choir = no evensong / mass = a very big deal

Reply 65

e-lover

They're offer is based on the removal of a random organ, hence the term 'organ scholar'. They deserve our respect.

Reply 66

Aconite

im so academic

No wonder I didn't recognise it as "my friend" in french is spelt "mon amis". (The "S" is silent"

It's not, dear.

Reply 67

A Stranger in Moscow

Do you reckon that I could play the organ? I can play the piano... :wink:

Reply 68

im so academic

jismith1989

And yes, as has been said, mon ami is French for my friend!

EDIT: it's only spelt amis when it's a plural (and then it's mes amis) -- there's nothing wrong with not knowing French, so don't ********!

It all makes sense now - thanks!

Reply 69

Aconite

Bekaboo

No organ scholar = no choir = no evensong / mass = a very big deal

I still desperately, desperately want to go to an organ scholar audition at King's, Cambridge. I'd sneak in there beforehand and pull out all the stops. Then, when I'd sit at the organ and crash both my hands down, flat, covering as many keys as possible at once, the noise would fill the vaulted space as it has never done before.

Then I would conduct the choir.

It would be like Carols from King's, but better.

Reply 70

BJack

Aconite

It would be like Carols from King's, but better.

That's quite a claim you're making, Aconite, but your plan sounds so devilishly wonderful that I think it might just succeed!

Reply 71

Cirsium

Aconite

Unfortunately Cambridge don't let you audition without having done the grade 8 exam (Oxford do) so I think your chances may not be that high :p:

Reply 72

Aconite

Bekaboo

Unfortunately Cambridge don't let you audition without having done the grade 8 exam (Oxford do) so I think your chances may not be that high :p:

I'm sure I could rustle something up on PowerPoint.

Reply 73

llys

im so academic

They can apply for both cambridge and oxford for an undergraduate degree, while the rest of us has to suffer! Yes, even if we were allowed to apply for both we would have to make a descision in which uni we want to go, but I'm saying organ scholars have double the chances of going to the most elite unis in britain, whislt we have less of a chance than they do. It's so unfair! sorr, for going on a bit, but I don't know why people that can play an oversized instrument have the privledge in applying for oxbridge.

It's because people who can play church organ are cool and smart and multi-taskers and good-looking.

Did you guess? Yes I play. :biggrin:

Well used to. Don't have the time any more. :frown:

If you really wanted a serious answer (?), I'd guess it's because there aren't that many people who play. However I don't really know if that is true for Britain.

Reply 74

caustic87

I think most people have missed the point that being an organ scholar is a *******load of work. Getting to apply for Oxford and Cambridge in no way balances out the hours of toil with the college choir - probably at least 4 evenings a week. Then you have to help choose the music, maybe work on arrangements and, oh yes, play the bloody organ all the time. The scholarship probably helps, but you'd have to love that organ something chronic.

Organ scholars of the world - you deserve it.

Reply 75

Peanut42

Aconite

I'm sure I could rustle something up on PowerPoint.

Please can you set up a camera in the corner before you begin? I'd like to be able to sing along at home.

Reply 76

shamrock92

Icy_Mikki

"I saw this really fit girl today- my cunning plan is that if I ask her out twice rather than once then there's double the chance she'll go out with me!".

Erm...

If Oxbridge randomly assigned their places to applicants rather than choosing them then yeah, two applications equals double the chance of getting in (like buying two lottery tickets = double the chance). Since Oxbridge choose who they want though, surely the two Unis will probably offer places to mostly the same candidates- i.e. chances are, an applicant will have either two offers or none at all.

They won't have double the chance, but they certainly have an advantage - extra experience of going through one interview gives you more chance of success in the second, more relaxed and composed as you know you have another chance, and there is a certain fluke factor in applications which gives an advantage to those who have two chances, etc.

Reply 77

acrosstheuniverse

shamrock92

Where'd you get that from? It's one of the silliest things i've heard. It's almost like saying luck actually exists and can be proven scientifically. :rolleyes:

Seriously, why should there be a fluke factor in applications just because one has two chances.

Also, having a terrible first interview would certainly not give them an advantage, in fact it could be a disadvantage if it decreased their confidence.

I understand what you're getting at, but organ scholars/any kind of scholar won't have an advantage as the application process is probably more rigorous etc and tough than a normal application.

Reply 78

shamrock92

acrosstheuniverse

Where'd you get that from? It's one of the silliest things i've heard. It's almost like saying luck actually exists and can be proven scientifically. :rolleyes:

Ok on the interview thing, but yes, there is a fluke factor - how you get on with the tutor, whether you have a good day etc. which favours someone with two chances

Reply 79

The_Lonely_Goatherd

OMG. I go away for a few days and someone finally decides to start a music-related thread for me?! :biggrin:

To make a few points that have been raised throughout the thread a bit clearer:

1) Organ scholars have one interview process in September (and yes, they have an academic interview). So there's not really any advantage, interview experience-wise.

2) As others have pointed out, there is a shortage of organ scholars and they both want the best.

3) An organ (or in fact choral) scholarship does not give someone the edge over anyone else. If they don't think you're good enough for the course, they are highly unlikely to take you, even if they are desperate for an organ scholar. Colleges have been known to borrow organ scholars from other colleges due to potential organ scholars not making grades/not finding an organ scholar suited to the course.

4) Organ scholars not only have to do all the academic work, but all the chapel-related work. Services can be anything from 1-6 a week.(Someone gave an average of 4. Worcester does this and the choral foundations do more, I don't think anyone else does 4 or more.) So they are doing much more work than everyone else.

5) The piano and organ are very different. I'm a diploma-standard pianist, but I couldn't play the organ if you asked me to. It's a lot more complicated.

6) As well as all the playing, the organ scholars are test on conducting a boys choir (if appropriate to the college). So it's not just a matter of playing one flashy piece that you learned especially.

7) Some colleges (such as mine) require the organ scholar to be applying for a Music course, but many colleges aren't as fussed.

8) The organ scholar admissions test is hard and terrifying (or at least at Oxford). Anyone who dares to apply to Oxford for one, given some of the weird/evil organ-playing tutors there who would be interviewing/testing them, deserves respect :eek: