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Organ Scholarships

Interviews tab icon Organ scholarships Choral scholarships Instrumental scholarships Repetiteur scholarships

In 2012, candidates will be able to compete for the following organ scholarships:

College2013 2014
Balliol
 •   
Brasenose
 •   
Christ Church   • 
Corpus Christi
   • 
Exeter1 •   
Hertford1   • 
Jesus2 •   
Keble1   • 
Lincoln3 •   
Magdalen1 •   
Merton • 
 
Pembroke • 
  • 
The Queen's College
 •  • 
St Edmund Hall4 •   
St John's1
 • 
 • 
St Peter's1 •   
Somerville •   • 
Trinity •  
University College •   
Worcester1
 •   • 
 
1 Applicants must apply to read Music.
2 Applicants must apply to read either Music, History, Engineering or Modern Languages.
3 Applicants must read either Music, History, Engineering, Modern Languages and Linguistics, or European and Middle Eastern Languages.
4 Applicants may not read Music.

 

Most colleges in Oxford appoint an undergraduate as Organ Scholar either to assist with or take charge of the music of the college chapel, and to take an active part in the musical activities of the college in general. The scope of these duties varies from college to college, as do the requirements. At Christ Church, Magdalen and New College the Organ Scholar is part of the choral foundation under the direction of the organist; there is an organist at Queen's, Merton and Worcester too, and a mixed choir; at Worcester, which also has a boys' choir, the Organ Scholar is responsible for training boys' voices; in most other colleges the Organ Scholar is responsible for training a mixed choir (largely voluntary). Some colleges state a preference or requirement for candidates to read for the Honour School of Music.

Open Day

The University is keen to attract the very best organists and to see as many as possible attend the choral and organ open day.

The next open day will be held on Saturday 21 April 2012, and will take the form of a series of workshops and Evensong.

For more details and booking please see the Music Faculty website.

Application

All candidates must complete an application form for organ scholarships by 1 September. Candidates may then be invited to take part in the competition for candidates for organ scholarships which takes place in late September.

It is now too late to apply for an organ scholarship in 2012 or deferred entry in 2013.

Examination

(a) Practical tests for all candidates:

1. Performance of a prepared piece of organ music selected by the candidate. (Candidates should bring an additional copy for the examiners.)
2. Sight-reading.
3. Score-reading in four parts with modern vocal clefs (G and F clefs only).
4. Transposition of a hymn tune (not more than one tone up or down).
5. Harmonization of a melody (normally a hymn tune or simple chorale).

Candidates may also be required to take a short choir practice (with boys' or mixed voices as appropriate).
 

(b) Academic interview for all candidates:

Candidates will usually be required to attend an academic interview in the subject for which they intend to apply. The college may require the candidate to submit examples of written work and/or to undertake a written test.

Admission

Candidates are required to accept any scholarship for which they have applied.

Decisions will be made once the admissions procedure is complete. Successful candidates will be informed and must then complete a UCAS application naming Oxford University and the college to which they have been appointed as Organ Scholar. The UCAS application must be submitted by 15 October.

The formal offer of a place will follow once the procedure is completed. (This may still be subject to A-level conditions or equivalent.) 

See also