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Music(as a hobby) in Oxford colleges
I know this may sound silly, but it's something I want to take in consideration too: Which colleges offer good opportunities for the music-obsessed?
I play the piano, the guitar, I sing, I sometimes drum, and I've just realised that it would be quite hard to 1) Take my piano to Oxford and 2) Play every day so everyone in my college would love to kill me - XD
So tell me: which college is a good choice? And I don't necessarily mean orchestra or choir opportunities, but mainly the possibility to play your own music and use instruments and so on...
Thanks already!
I play the piano, the guitar, I sing, I sometimes drum, and I've just realised that it would be quite hard to 1) Take my piano to Oxford and 2) Play every day so everyone in my college would love to kill me - XD
So tell me: which college is a good choice? And I don't necessarily mean orchestra or choir opportunities, but mainly the possibility to play your own music and use instruments and so on...
Thanks already!
Scroll to see replies
Well, I can't speak for other colleges but your sig. says you're interested in Oriel so ... I'm not a musician myself but I know that there is a music practise room in third quad with a huge grand piano that people can use. You can hear the music out in the quad and it really is beautiful; I love it. You walk in off the street after a boring day at the Bodleian, feeling a bit miserable, and this music just sort of wafts towards you in the dark. As for guitars, I'm not really sure ... I know loads of people who play the ukelele, if that helps? And the college runs a recital series over in St. Mary's Church on the High Street where people can do solo performances etc. The college website claims students can play the piano in the chapel, although I've never heard of anyone doing that, probably because I don't venture into the chapel that often ... If you're really keen you could audition for one of the awards (which are reserved for people not studying Music, I think) which gives you free music lessons or something. My Physics friend got one for the piano/keyboard last term. He brought his keyboard up with him, though, as most of the rooms on the island site are fairly roomy.
Most colleges will probably have fairly decent music facilties, though. Merton and Magdalen have pretty good reputations as far as I'm aware.
Most colleges will probably have fairly decent music facilties, though. Merton and Magdalen have pretty good reputations as far as I'm aware.
Colleges I know for a fact have music rooms:
Jesus
Teddy Hall
Merton
Oriel
Lincoln
New
Univ
I would be very very surprised if others didn't have them (because every college has some kind of rule about annoying others with noise, so there's got to be somewhere to put the musicians!
Regardless of practice rooms all colleges have a chapel (except Catz? Never sure if the reason for their lack of choir is the lack of a chapel...) and most will let you use the piano there for practicing too. Hilda's has a ready made concert venue on site, but students from every college use it for recitals.
As you've rightly realised orchestra opportunities have zilch to do with college, and while choir opportunities do you're more than welcome to sing in other college chapel choirs. (The better ones are auditioning, but there are plenty that are not).
Jesus
Teddy Hall
Merton
Oriel
Lincoln
New
Univ
I would be very very surprised if others didn't have them (because every college has some kind of rule about annoying others with noise, so there's got to be somewhere to put the musicians!
Regardless of practice rooms all colleges have a chapel (except Catz? Never sure if the reason for their lack of choir is the lack of a chapel...) and most will let you use the piano there for practicing too. Hilda's has a ready made concert venue on site, but students from every college use it for recitals.
As you've rightly realised orchestra opportunities have zilch to do with college, and while choir opportunities do you're more than welcome to sing in other college chapel choirs. (The better ones are auditioning, but there are plenty that are not).
sorry to hijack this thread, but can i ask a similar question
Would you be able to take your guitar or whatever and play it in college? in these music rooms? or in your own room?
what sort of musical provision is their at oxford, in terms of bands and things? is that the sort of stuff you get into at the freshers fair?
Would you be able to take your guitar or whatever and play it in college? in these music rooms? or in your own room?
what sort of musical provision is their at oxford, in terms of bands and things? is that the sort of stuff you get into at the freshers fair?
Hilda's has pretty good practise facilities-6 good sized practise rooms in the music building, all but one with a piano in. (One has an old Bechstein grand, and another a brand new Yamaha grand. And in the Auditorium, a Steinway D.) One also has a drum kit in now (Albeit probably not a very good one), and there's various things like a harp and harpsichord floating around. Also a piano in the chapel which people practise on. I'm not sure if any other colleges can beat our music provision in terms of plain numbers!
On the other hand, We're lacking a proper band room as some other colleges have, with PA speakers/amps/microphones etc.
'Don't think many colleges have drum kits- might want to check that out if you want to drum.
Where I am,quite a few people play acoustics in thier rooms, but I seem to remember playing electric instruments in rooms isnt strictly allowed.* Also, there are limitations on the time you can play instruments in your room.
*Having said this, I've been allowed to have/play an electric keyboard in my room-I don't think anyone really cares much as long as other people aren't disturbed.
No reason you can't go to music rooms and play you're guitar there , but most guitar players I know just use thier rooms.
On the other hand, We're lacking a proper band room as some other colleges have, with PA speakers/amps/microphones etc.
'Don't think many colleges have drum kits- might want to check that out if you want to drum.
kirkh1
Would you be able to take your guitar or whatever and play it in college? in these music rooms? or in your own room?
Where I am,quite a few people play acoustics in thier rooms, but I seem to remember playing electric instruments in rooms isnt strictly allowed.* Also, there are limitations on the time you can play instruments in your room.
*Having said this, I've been allowed to have/play an electric keyboard in my room-I don't think anyone really cares much as long as other people aren't disturbed.
No reason you can't go to music rooms and play you're guitar there , but most guitar players I know just use thier rooms.
I have played my guitar in the streets, the JCR, my room, the GCR bunker on 2nd quad and even in the bar. It's never occurred to me to take it to the music room since I never take my amp to Oxford and I always had understanding housemates
If I were electrified then it would probably be music room only (because of the noise affecting other people)
Bands... it's kinda the same as being at school - hang out with some guy in the JCR one night and say hey this was fun, fancy jamming tomorrow? and go from there.
I mean there's RockSoc which I guess would be a good place to find people to band-up with (and IndieSoc to I s'pose) but it's not really the sort of thing you can have a large scale society for, is it?
If I were electrified then it would probably be music room only (because of the noise affecting other people)
Bands... it's kinda the same as being at school - hang out with some guy in the JCR one night and say hey this was fun, fancy jamming tomorrow? and go from there.
I mean there's RockSoc which I guess would be a good place to find people to band-up with (and IndieSoc to I s'pose) but it's not really the sort of thing you can have a large scale society for, is it?
As an undergraduate at Worcester, I always took my whopping big digital piano with me without any objection (and as a postgraduate there from this Wednesday, intend to do the same). Although being a Roland FP9 it's fairly portable.
Worcester also has THEIR OWN FREAKING HOUSE comprising purely of music rooms which can be booked by anyone, most of which have pianos in them.
As for drumming in your room, I fear that your potential housemates might just kill you.
Worcester also has THEIR OWN FREAKING HOUSE comprising purely of music rooms which can be booked by anyone, most of which have pianos in them.
As for drumming in your room, I fear that your potential housemates might just kill you.
Oh dear. I play the saxophone and it's a rather loud instrument... and I don't recall reading that Balliol had a music room / practice rooms. 
Ahh well... people in the rooms next to me can kill me if they want.
Any music-y type people know of the demand for saxes in Oxford? I play the tenor and the alto but was rather vaguely trying to make up an excuse for buying a new tenor* (my current one, having been bought off ebay, is less than wonderful... though I still love it
) with the justification that they're less commonly played and thus more in demand in jazz bands etc....
*With some of the earnings from my summer job (hurrah!), I don't usually have that sort of money to throw around... but might as well do so now before I start feeling guilty about every penny since I'll have to pay it back to the government in due course.
Ahh well... people in the rooms next to me can kill me if they want.
Any music-y type people know of the demand for saxes in Oxford? I play the tenor and the alto but was rather vaguely trying to make up an excuse for buying a new tenor* (my current one, having been bought off ebay, is less than wonderful... though I still love it
) with the justification that they're less commonly played and thus more in demand in jazz bands etc.... *With some of the earnings from my summer job (hurrah!), I don't usually have that sort of money to throw around... but might as well do so now before I start feeling guilty about every penny since I'll have to pay it back to the government in due course.
HoVis
Oh dear. I play the saxophone and it's a rather loud instrument... and I don't recall reading that Balliol had a music room / practice rooms.
Ahh well... people in the rooms next to me can kill me if they want.
Any music-y type people know of the demand for saxes in Oxford? I play the tenor and the alto but was rather vaguely trying to make up an excuse for buying a new tenor* (my current one, having been bought off ebay, is less than wonderful... though I still love it ) with the justification that they're less commonly played and thus more in demand in jazz bands etc....
*With some of the earnings from my summer job (hurrah!), I don't usually have that sort of money to throw around... but might as well do so now before I start feeling guilty about every penny since I'll have to pay it back to the government in due course.
Ahh well... people in the rooms next to me can kill me if they want.
Any music-y type people know of the demand for saxes in Oxford? I play the tenor and the alto but was rather vaguely trying to make up an excuse for buying a new tenor* (my current one, having been bought off ebay, is less than wonderful... though I still love it
) with the justification that they're less commonly played and thus more in demand in jazz bands etc.... *With some of the earnings from my summer job (hurrah!), I don't usually have that sort of money to throw around... but might as well do so now before I start feeling guilty about every penny since I'll have to pay it back to the government in due course.
Saxophone, loud?
I have no hope with a bass trombone..
HoVis
Oh dear. I play the saxophone and it's a rather loud instrument... and I don't recall reading that Balliol had a music room / practice rooms.
Ahh well... people in the rooms next to me can kill me if they want.
Any music-y type people know of the demand for saxes in Oxford? I play the tenor and the alto but was rather vaguely trying to make up an excuse for buying a new tenor* (my current one, having been bought off ebay, is less than wonderful... though I still love it ) with the justification that they're less commonly played and thus more in demand in jazz bands etc....
*With some of the earnings from my summer job (hurrah!), I don't usually have that sort of money to throw around... but might as well do so now before I start feeling guilty about every penny since I'll have to pay it back to the government in due course.
Ahh well... people in the rooms next to me can kill me if they want.
Any music-y type people know of the demand for saxes in Oxford? I play the tenor and the alto but was rather vaguely trying to make up an excuse for buying a new tenor* (my current one, having been bought off ebay, is less than wonderful... though I still love it
) with the justification that they're less commonly played and thus more in demand in jazz bands etc.... *With some of the earnings from my summer job (hurrah!), I don't usually have that sort of money to throw around... but might as well do so now before I start feeling guilty about every penny since I'll have to pay it back to the government in due course.
We do, it's just slightly hidden away around the side/end of hall, underground. It has two reasonably lousy pianos (nasty-sounding Yamaha uprights) and a drum kit. There's a beautiful Steinway concert grand in hall that I'd love to steal
Woostarite
As an undergraduate at Worcester, I always took my whopping big digital piano with me without any objection (and as a postgraduate there from this Wednesday, intend to do the same). Although being a Roland FP9 it's fairly portable.
Worcester also has THEIR OWN FREAKING HOUSE comprising purely of music rooms which can be booked by anyone, most of which have pianos in them.
As for drumming in your room, I fear that your potential housemates might just kill you.
Worcester also has THEIR OWN FREAKING HOUSE comprising purely of music rooms which can be booked by anyone, most of which have pianos in them.
As for drumming in your room, I fear that your potential housemates might just kill you.
Their own house ?!It's a shame I didn't book an open day there
But now I think I'll have a look, haha
Elise_VL
Their own house ?!It's a shame I didn't book an open day there But now I think I'll have a look, haha
But now I think I'll have a look, hahaAaaaaaaaaaah! These music threads always pop up when I disappear for the day!
Yes, we do indeed have our own little house. Three practice rooms: two with pianos, one without. Tbh, it's not the greatest of buildings... but... it DOES have a nice shiny brand-new drum kit in it, so you can drum away to your heart's content!
We also have a recital room that has a grand piano in it. That's the best piano we've got, but it's by no means brilliant. You can practice any instrument in your room during certain times of the day but in reality, this depends on what your neighbours are like!
Pembroke has really nice pianos
You can just show up at the open day. You won't get to meet the subject tutors if you haven't booked, but we can still show you round. Though we don't show people the practice building
cpchem
We do, it's just slightly hidden away around the side/end of hall, underground. It has two reasonably lousy pianos (nasty-sounding Yamaha uprights) and a drum kit. There's a beautiful Steinway concert grand in hall that I'd love to steal
You have a Steinway?!!?
Additional reason to gatecrash your college
HoVis
Oh dear. I play the saxophone and it's a rather loud instrument... and I don't recall reading that Balliol had a music room / practice rooms.
Ahh well... people in the rooms next to me can kill me if they want.
Any music-y type people know of the demand for saxes in Oxford? I play the tenor and the alto but was rather vaguely trying to make up an excuse for buying a new tenor* (my current one, having been bought off ebay, is less than wonderful... though I still love it ) with the justification that they're less commonly played and thus more in demand in jazz bands etc....
*With some of the earnings from my summer job (hurrah!), I don't usually have that sort of money to throw around... but might as well do so now before I start feeling guilty about every penny since I'll have to pay it back to the government in due course.
Ahh well... people in the rooms next to me can kill me if they want.
Any music-y type people know of the demand for saxes in Oxford? I play the tenor and the alto but was rather vaguely trying to make up an excuse for buying a new tenor* (my current one, having been bought off ebay, is less than wonderful... though I still love it
) with the justification that they're less commonly played and thus more in demand in jazz bands etc.... *With some of the earnings from my summer job (hurrah!), I don't usually have that sort of money to throw around... but might as well do so now before I start feeling guilty about every penny since I'll have to pay it back to the government in due course.
Such a shame you're not here this year! I'm conducting my college orchestra and we like tenor saxophonists
The_Lonely_Goatherd
Aaaaaaaaaaah! These music threads always pop up when I disappear for the day! Haha, well, you're here now^^
You can just show up at the open day. You won't get to meet the subject tutors if you haven't booked, but we can still show you round. Though we don't show people the practice building
You can just show up at the open day. You won't get to meet the subject tutors if you haven't booked, but we can still show you round. Though we don't show people the practice building
Aha, that's a deal!
I'll probably PM you about Music cause I'm quite interested (and now I found someone who studies it at Oxford, so *stalk stalk*)
Elise_VL
Aha, that's a deal!
I'll probably PM you about Music cause I'm quite interested (and now I found someone who studies it at Oxford, so *stalk stalk*)
I'll probably PM you about Music cause I'm quite interested (and now I found someone who studies it at Oxford, so *stalk stalk*)
No probs, I love chatting to musically-minded people
Nope, viola players very much a rare and desirable resource.
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