Grade 8 to do music at uni?

Well, looking on the UCAS site, for single honours Music:

Aberdeen: just says that musical skill 'will be assessed at interview'.

ARU: yes

Bangor: W300 - no
W302 - no

Bath Spa: no, just 'good standard of vocal/instrumental performance required'.

Birmingham - yes

Bristol: no, but 'some fluency at piano expected'.

Brunel: no

Cambridge: no

Canterbury Christ Church: no

Cardiff: W300 - no
W302 - no

University of Central Lancashire: no, though audition is required

Chichester: no, though audition is required

City: ABRSM Grade 7 unless wanting to to advanced performance at Guildhall, in which case grade 8

Colchester: no, though audition is required

Dartington College of Arts: no

Durham: no

UEA: no

Edinburgh: ABRSM Grade 7, grade 5 piano

Glasgow: W300 - no
W302 - no

Goldsmiths: ABRSM grade 6 (!)

Huddersfield: Students doing performance - yes

Hull: W300 - no, AMRSM Grade 7
W302 - Same

KCL: yes

Kingston: no

Lancaster: W300 - yes
W302 - yes

Leeds: yes, distinction required for BMus

Liverpool: no, ABRSM Grade 7

Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts: no

Manchester: yes, grade 8 distinction

Middlesex: yes

Napier: no

Newcastle: W300 - yes, for performance route
W304 - ditto

Northampton: no

Nottingham: no

Oxford: no

Oxford Brookes: no

Plymouth: no if you have a Music A-level, otherwise grade 6

Queen's University Belfast: no

Roehampton: no if you have Music A-level, otherwise yes + grade 7 music theory

Royal Holloway: yes

Salford: no

SOAS: no

Sheffield: no

Southampton: yes

Strathclyde: no

Sunderland: no

Surrey: W300 - no
W301 - no

Sussex: no

Thames Valley: no

Ulster: no

Wolverhampton: no

York: no

Reply 2

Hope this helps! :smile:

Yes, I've got time on my hands at the moment...

Looks like you would be able to do music at the majority of universities.

Reply 3

OP

Wow! That great! thanks alot!! Yeah that really helps! :smile:

Its fab, ta! :p:

Reply 4

The OK Kid Computer Thief

Mind you, I'd have a look at the respective university websites too, just to make sure! I'm surprised that places such as Oxford and Cambridge supposedly don't require grade 8.

Which universities do you think you'll apply to, out of interest? :smile:

Reply 5

Hmm...i've applied to Leeds and Southampton and had offers of ABC for Leeds and 300 points for Southampton. But the thing is, I dont have grade 8 - and I said so in my Personal Statement, although ive been told I play to a grade 8 standard. So it looks like it is not ABSOLUTELY neccesary?
Unless they mis-read and I in fact CAN'T go.... :confused:

Well, anyway - music shouldn't be confined to strict grades..it is an expression of passion and one should never be restricted on the grounds of not having obtained a grade.

I havent even done grade 5 theory...technically i'm grade 1 piano :eek:

lol but i've been playing stuff on the diploma syllabus.... :cool:

Reply 6

Angelharpist

13

There's a difference between having grade 8 and being 'of grade 8 standard.' When universities state you don't NEED grade 8, many will expect you to be of a similarly high standard, certificated or not. Plus most places say that they want grade 5 piano, as it makes things like Harmony and Bach Chorale easier...

Bristol accepted me when I only had grade 7 on my first instrument, as did Southampton, KCL, Birmingham and Royal Holloway. As long as you're a passionate musician and that comes across in your PS then I think you're fine - just mention your 'wealth' of orchestral and solo recital experience... :smile:

I've now got 3 grade 8 distinctions - when I applied I only had two grade 7's. Haven't even informed the relevant Universities about this yet, but if it all goes pear shaped with my results I'll try and woo the Bristol/Southampton music departments with my 3 distinctions. Failing that, I'll a. Go to music college or b. take a year out and teach for a bit...

Reply 7

musicbloke

17

Kew

Mind you, I'd have a look at the respective university websites too, just to make sure! I'm surprised that places such as Oxford and Cambridge supposedly don't require grade 8.

Which universities do you think you'll apply to, out of interest? :smile:

That being said, I don't know anyone on the Cambridge course who doesn't have grade 8 distinction or equivalent on at least one instrument.

MB

Reply 8

musicbloke

That being said, I don't know anyone on the Cambridge course who doesn't have grade 8 distinction or equivalent on at least one instrument.

MB

Well exactly, I thought as much, and I daresay it's the same for Oxford. That's why I think it's slightly strange they don't make it a specification for entry, like Manchester and Leeds do. Do they just presume that any Music applicants would be of that standard anyway?

Reply 9

College Guy 1987

2

Whats the difference between a 'BMus' and a 'Ba' in Music?

Is the former more performance orientated?

Reply 10

From what I know, a BMus is just straight music. A BA allows you to do some modules in other courses, e.g. at my uni if you do a BA you can do some credits in some language courses.

BMus is basically a Bachelor of Music, BA is Bachelor of Arts..

I think.... :redface:

Reply 11

College Guy 1987

2

sexysax

From what I know, a BMus is just straight music. A BA allows you to do some modules in other courses, e.g. at my uni if you do a BA you can do some credits in some language courses.

BMus is basically a Bachelor of Music, BA is Bachelor of Arts..

I think.... :redface:

I see...
Yeah, I've looked it up and what you've said seems to be the only real differences.

Reply 12

To the OP - I didn't have anywhere near grade 8 when I applied to uni. My highest grade was 5, and that was a scraped pass! I still got offers from the universities I applied to.

Reply 13

OP

sexysax

To the OP - I didn't have anywhere near grade 8 when I applied to uni. My highest grade was 5, and that was a scraped pass! I still got offers from the universities I applied to.

Did you really?
Ive done grade 5 practical (flute) and theory.
Ive always loved music, but i just dont think im a high enough standard, i knw if i had been pushed then i would be higher...(but dont even get me started on my past teacher!!)
so at the moment im still keeping an open mind about what subject

Reply 14

sexysax

To the OP - I didn't have anywhere near grade 8 when I applied to uni. My highest grade was 5, and that was a scraped pass! I still got offers from the universities I applied to.

Which universities did you apply to?

Reply 15

Kew

Which universities did you apply to?

Bangor, Sheffield, Durham, Surrey, Queens Belfast and Cardiff. I had to audition and interview for Cardiff but my mind was made up by then so I cancelled my application to them.

I wasn't expecting offers from the other 5 though, especially Durham. I had put down that I was working towards the higher grades, and hoped to take some, but that was a lie :rolleyes:

. I didn't know if I actually would. In the end I went for it, and tried grade 8 on sax, an instrument I'd been playing for 10 months :rolleyes:

.

So I applied to uni with: grade 5 clarinet,grade 5 theory and grade 4 piano.

I went to uni with: grade 8 saxophone merit, grade 6 clarinet, grade 6 piano.

-me-: I had great teachers, my problem was that I'd started reasonably "late" on my better instruments and I didn't realise I wanted to do music at uni until near the end of year 12 and I went through a major panic when I thought most universities wanted grade 8 etc. You should be fine though. I've no idea why I got offers, I can only think that it's because my passion for music shone through in my personal statement etc, so make sure that's good and you'll be ok!

Reply 16

OP

sexysax

So I applied to uni with: grade 5 clarinet,grade 5 theory and grade 4 piano.

I went to uni with: grade 8 saxophone merit, grade 6 clarinet, grade 6 piano.

I guess i wouldnt have the same luck. Also you have 2 instruments there, whereas i have 1.
Can i ask, what grade did you get a A-level music?
Also, you music course now, what does it involve?
thnx!

Reply 17

bohemian

Re grade 8:
I actually know a good number of people who are at conservatoires (like RAM/RCM) without any exams at all. Almost everywhere will be interested in you if you are grade 8 "or equivalent standard". If you audition, they won't be as interested in where you are now as where you could be in 4 years with good tuition and a lot of practice. After all, what uni would want a student with grade 8 distinction who has no potential and isn't going to be significantly better at the end of 4 years? They'd prefer someone with no exams who will really benefit from their time at uni and will come out a better musician.

Look at sexysax, when she applied she didn't have G8 but the unis recognised that she was musical, and then she proved it with her sax.

My advice would be exactly what was given to me: practice properly, practice the right things (scales are important, so is sight-reading (unfortunately), and etudes) and get a really good teacher at least until you've auditioned :smile:

Reply 18

OP

bohemian

Re grade 8:
I actually know a good number of people who are at conservatoires (like RAM/RCM) without any exams at all. Almost everywhere will be interested in you if you are grade 8 "or equivalent standard". If you audition, they won't be as interested in where you are now as where you could be in 4 years with good tuition and a lot of practice. After all, what uni would want a student with grade 8 distinction who has no potential and isn't going to be significantly better at the end of 4 years? They'd prefer someone with no exams who will really benefit from their time at uni and will come out a better musician.

Look at sexysax, when she applied she didn't have G8 but the unis recognised that she was musical, and then she proved it with her sax.

My advice would be exactly what was given to me: practice properly, practice the right things (scales are important, so is sight-reading (unfortunately), and etudes) and get a really good teacher at least until you've auditioned :smile:

That was some good advice there.

Another thing, if you do audition do they expect you to be playing grade 8 standard pieces? And what exactly do they ask you to do? (generally its probably different frm each uni)

Reply 19