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Durham vs Manchester for Music
Hey guys! Is anyone able to comment on the Music Departments at either of these?
I'm really stuck with choosing because I've fallen in love with Durham but not so sure that the course is particularly good...
Many thanks
Lee
I'm really stuck with choosing because I've fallen in love with Durham but not so sure that the course is particularly good...
Many thanks
Lee
i'm assuming that your offer for Manchester has higher grade requirements than those of Durham. in this case, are you sure to make the grades for Manchester?
i'm off to Manchester in September. however, Durham rejected me. i don't think i would have gone there anyway as i had heard some rather negative things from a friend who has close contact with the department. that said, i only relied on her and didn't bother to look around or ask anybody else.
the pros that i see about Manchester are that you're in a big city, which has concert halls and resident orchestras and a music college with excellent teachers. were you to go to Durham, you would have to travel to get these things. apart from that, the department itself has an excellent rating, and the building is the best music department i've seen.
if you have any other questions regarding Manchester and/or music, feel free to ask.
i'm off to Manchester in September. however, Durham rejected me. i don't think i would have gone there anyway as i had heard some rather negative things from a friend who has close contact with the department. that said, i only relied on her and didn't bother to look around or ask anybody else.
the pros that i see about Manchester are that you're in a big city, which has concert halls and resident orchestras and a music college with excellent teachers. were you to go to Durham, you would have to travel to get these things. apart from that, the department itself has an excellent rating, and the building is the best music department i've seen.
if you have any other questions regarding Manchester and/or music, feel free to ask.
Pink*Guildhall
i'm assuming that your offer for Manchester has higher grade requirements than those of Durham. in this case, are you sure to make the grades for Manchester?
My offer from Durham is simply one B (that in itself I find worrying...). My offer from Manchester is ABB and Grade 8 Piano, which I'm sure I can achieve. Another important issue linked to the Manchester/Durham courses are the grants offered. At Durham, you are offered £3000 from the university itself, whereas at Manchester (unless you get 3 A's - which isn't impossible but not certain either) then you get £1000 which means I would have to be heavily in debt.
Pink*Guildhall
i don't think i would have gone there anyway as i had heard some rather negative things from a friend who has close contact with the department.
Would you perhaps be able to elaborate on the negative things?
Many thanks for your help, it's been greatly appreciated!
Lee
You have an offer of ABB from Manchester? They've changed their tune a lot....
There is a girl in my year at the minute who started doing Law at Durham, but was heavily involved in music there, she said that Durham is too small for any big, practical and generally just good music making. Also they have weird specialisms due it beign a smaller department, Manchester has loads of different specialisms due to a varied number of lecturers...
There is a girl in my year at the minute who started doing Law at Durham, but was heavily involved in music there, she said that Durham is too small for any big, practical and generally just good music making. Also they have weird specialisms due it beign a smaller department, Manchester has loads of different specialisms due to a varied number of lecturers...
Also there is just so much going on musically at Manchester AND Kevin Malone the music admissions guy is really particular about who he lets in and exceptionally good at picking a fantastic year. Everyone in our year bonds with everyone else, and I would expect it isn't like that everywhere else.
angus_mcfisher
Hey guys! Is anyone able to comment on the Music Departments at either of these?
I'm really stuck with choosing because I've fallen in love with Durham but not so sure that the course is particularly good...
Many thanks
Lee
I'm really stuck with choosing because I've fallen in love with Durham but not so sure that the course is particularly good...
Many thanks
Lee
The Music course at Durham is particularly good. So is Manchester. But they are quite different. Manchester has a far stronger emphasis on performance. Durham is a Dept whose strengths are on the academic side of music and composition.
The student experience will be quite different - obvious given the nature and size of the two cities. I'd never want to study in Manchester, others will feel the same about Durham.
You need to look in detail at the courses and see which best matches your interests. In reality there are a handful of universities with good Music Depts. Discussion about how the relative merit of each tend to contain as many myths as facts so it really is up to you.
MikeyB!
You have an offer of ABB from Manchester? They've changed their tune a lot....
Hehe, well - really it is ABBBB because I already have 2 A-Level B's which I did last year so it's alright.
MikeyB!
There is a girl in my year at the minute who started doing Law at Durham, but was heavily involved in music there, she said that Durham is too small for any big, practical and generally just good music making. Also they have weird specialisms due it beign a smaller department, Manchester has loads of different specialisms due to a varied number of lecturers...
Hmm... I have thought about this a wee bit. Being in the Halle Youth Choir and participating in quite a few smaller music-making groups, whether the possibilities are available in Durham - or even Newcastle! Manchester is regarded as Britains second music city and I know a lot about the vast musical activies possible in Manchester. Does anyone really know what possibilities of music making outside of the university are available in the Durham area?
MikeyB!
Also there is just so much going on musically at Manchester AND Kevin Malone the music admissions guy is really particular about who he lets in and exceptionally good at picking a fantastic year. Everyone in our year bonds with everyone else, and I would expect it isn't like that everywhere else.
Kevin Malone is cool! I met him at the Open day and he seemed really jolly and open. Unfortunately, I've only met him and Thomas Todd - the admissions guy. What are the other teaching staff like at Manchester?
Many thanks for your post MikeyB!
Clanger
The Music course at Durham is particularly good. So is Manchester. But they are quite different. Manchester has a far stronger emphasis on performance. Durham is a Dept whose strengths are on the academic side of music and composition.
Many thanks for making this point Clanger! I'm much more interested in Composition and analysis than Performance, so in this respect Durham seems better.
I quite agree with studying in Manchester as opposed to Durham, but my dilemma primarily is that I've been told that Manchester is the best uni for music (not including the conservatoires) and my dilemma was whether I should go to the place I prefer or the better department. I much prefer Durham as a city and the university as a place to study, but not sure about the courses.
Many thanks for comments Clanger!
Lee
Hmmm, the performance element to Manchester is a bit of a myth in my opinion. Yes there is a lot of performance, but it is all extra curricular. You have to be in choir or orchestra, but it doesn't count towards your degree programme, and you have to do 20 credits of performance in your first year (but you can opt out if you ask really nicely!).
The staff at Manchester are a mixed bag. Kevin Malone is probably the most inspiring lecturer/seminar tutor you will ever have. He's a postmodernist composer so he is open to all ideas. Other composition staff can be a bit snooty. Phil Grange is fond of hard love and can be quite rude and harsh, but I suppose it works. Whalley seems constantly nervous. Reeves is a bit arrogant, but then again so are most composers. Casken is really really nice and friendly and witty, but you don't see him around much.
The academic lecturers are very very bright and very good lecturers. Cooper is just the God of Beethoven, Herissone is so intelligent and hard working its insane. Fallows is so much fun.
Basically all the staff are very approachable even if some are morseo than others. There is no one I dislike on staff, and I usually dislike someone! :P
The staff at Manchester are a mixed bag. Kevin Malone is probably the most inspiring lecturer/seminar tutor you will ever have. He's a postmodernist composer so he is open to all ideas. Other composition staff can be a bit snooty. Phil Grange is fond of hard love and can be quite rude and harsh, but I suppose it works. Whalley seems constantly nervous. Reeves is a bit arrogant, but then again so are most composers. Casken is really really nice and friendly and witty, but you don't see him around much.
The academic lecturers are very very bright and very good lecturers. Cooper is just the God of Beethoven, Herissone is so intelligent and hard working its insane. Fallows is so much fun.
Basically all the staff are very approachable even if some are morseo than others. There is no one I dislike on staff, and I usually dislike someone! :P
angus_mcfisher
Hehe, well - really it is ABBBB because I already have 2 A-Level B's which I did last year so it's alright.
Hmm... I have thought about this a wee bit. Being in the Halle Youth Choir and participating in quite a few smaller music-making groups, whether the possibilities are available in Durham - or even Newcastle! Manchester is regarded as Britains second music city and I know a lot about the vast musical activies possible in Manchester. Does anyone really know what possibilities of music making outside of the university are available in the Durham area?
Kevin Malone is cool! I met him at the Open day and he seemed really jolly and open. Unfortunately, I've only met him and Thomas Todd - the admissions guy. What are the other teaching staff like at Manchester?
Many thanks for your post MikeyB!
Many thanks for making this point Clanger! I'm much more interested in Composition and analysis than Performance, so in this respect Durham seems better.
I quite agree with studying in Manchester as opposed to Durham, but my dilemma primarily is that I've been told that Manchester is the best uni for music (not including the conservatoires) and my dilemma was whether I should go to the place I prefer or the better department. I much prefer Durham as a city and the university as a place to study, but not sure about the courses.
Many thanks for comments Clanger!
Lee
Hmm... I have thought about this a wee bit. Being in the Halle Youth Choir and participating in quite a few smaller music-making groups, whether the possibilities are available in Durham - or even Newcastle! Manchester is regarded as Britains second music city and I know a lot about the vast musical activies possible in Manchester. Does anyone really know what possibilities of music making outside of the university are available in the Durham area?
Kevin Malone is cool! I met him at the Open day and he seemed really jolly and open. Unfortunately, I've only met him and Thomas Todd - the admissions guy. What are the other teaching staff like at Manchester?
Many thanks for your post MikeyB!
Many thanks for making this point Clanger! I'm much more interested in Composition and analysis than Performance, so in this respect Durham seems better.
I quite agree with studying in Manchester as opposed to Durham, but my dilemma primarily is that I've been told that Manchester is the best uni for music (not including the conservatoires) and my dilemma was whether I should go to the place I prefer or the better department. I much prefer Durham as a city and the university as a place to study, but not sure about the courses.
Many thanks for comments Clanger!
Lee
oooo when did you go to the open day? I went to the one in February... may have I seen you...?
Many thanks for your feedback! I have decided to go to Durham university.
Thanks again,
Lee
PS. Sorry for my recent inactivity - I've been buried with coursework deadlines and a teacher who's been absent for months
Thanks again,
Lee
PS. Sorry for my recent inactivity - I've been buried with coursework deadlines and a teacher who's been absent for months
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- Durham vs Manchester for LLB
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- Warwick vs Exeter Nightlife
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