Orchestra’s at university ( non music degree)

[SunonmyFace]

Hi DD has asked about being able to join an orchestra when she goes to university. She won’t be studying music, but is a talented musician. Do uni’s have orchestras for non music students, is it a thing, and where is good?
She has indicated that this is something she would like to think about when she does look at uni’s

Thank you!

Yes! They do at DSs. He is doing a music degree but has met medical and dentistry students through the orchestra. He's at Hull

May well have changed, but IME university orchestras generally weren’t just for music students (heard this from various universities as well as my own experience).

Normally had to play at an equivalent level to the music students, though, unless it’s a shortage instrument.

Yes they have them. My dd was in the orchestra but studying maths.

At the university I went to there were lots of music groups, including orchestras, for different levels of ability. You definitely didn’t need to be the same standard as someone studying music at university, although if you were, there was something for you too.

Yes, I did while studying Classics - there were various groups for different abilities as said above - we had to audition for the top level ones though, but went on tour etc, it was a great thing to do.

As others have said, yes of course they do. Apart from the anything else music is quite a small degree in terms of numbers at most universities and they might not have enough people otherwise especially on some instruments.

Many universities, especially the big ones - will have a variety of different orchestras of different types and different standards. Not all music students want to join orchestras. As an example my daughter joined two orchestras in her first year (playing a different instrument in each). She dropped one very early in and dropped the other at the end of the first year. Her first instrument is piano and she was a choral scholar so spent a lot of time singing. She found that that she didn't have time for orchestra too.

In general I guess the best orchestras will be at the universities that offer music degrees. Not all do. Warwick, Exeter and St Andrew’s are just three examples of popular universities that don't offer music degrees. I imagine they all have good orchestras though.

Neither of my children ended up going there but we were impressed with the offer for non-music students at Birmingham university.

Where do they practice ?

As someone said, Warwick doesn't offer a music degree, but it does still have a music department (warwick.ac.uk/services/musiccentre/about/) and plenty of ensembles to join.
It's worth trying to suss out different universities' offer for music - what ensembles there are, and what sort of standard you need to be to join them.
I know some people who studied non-music degrees and are now professional musicians, too.

Ideally go to a uni that has a music department though as more likely to have a broad range of musical offerings and tours (probably not so important in Covid times).

Thank you!
We were in a uni city just before Christmas and a group of students with string instrument cases walked passed us heading into halls and DD has asked lots of questions since and as since expressed an interest in being involved in an orchestra at uni ( which is a few years away yet), it will be something for her to look for when she is ready.
Thanks again.

Cardiff has one which links with the music school

Cardiff also has one for medics, the idea being it supports students who regularly miss rehearsal due to placement. They also accept non medics. Dd ( not music or medic) chose to join this as there was no audition and she preferred the lower pressure environment to what was offered to music students. It has been one of the highlights of her first term.

Yes, Glasgow has lots of opportunities. Some auditioned, most not. St Andrews also does, even though it has no music department. Practice space may be limited to those studying music only but you would just need to practice in your room or a lounge etc. Mutes may be necessary! If you are in a city with a conservatoire, it may be possible to get some lessons with post grad students etc, I did for a while.

Suspect it depends on where you go, where I was at uni (as a music student) the 2 orchestras were highly competitive and not even all the music students could get into them, it definitely wasn't offered outside the department. (I'm going back a few years now though so maybe things have changed.)

Chances are there will be a range of orchestras for all abilities.

My DD is a choral scholar, studying Computer Science.

What does your DD want to study, OP?

Dd is not a music student but plays in 2 orchestras at Durham

She’d is leaning towards chemistry, but it she is year 10 so early days for deciding. She is working for grade 6 in one string and one woodwind instrument so enjoys her music.

Thanks again, all really helpful. She asked about it, and I didn’t know for sure, and my inept googling just brought up music degrees.

Such a good thing to do this. I joined the operatic society at uni and met some great friends and my husband! I had friends who played in the orchestra too. If she's grade 6 at year 10 that's great. Music is a fabulous hobby.

Some of my fondest memories were the Jazz Band trips to Europe. I studied Engineering.

There were loads of orchestras, chamber music groups and all sorts at my university. There were also lots of musicals and operas being staged all the time, so instrumentalists of all standards were in high demand - there were never enough to go around. Very few of them were actual music students.

Definitely yes. I went to Leeds, many years ago now but the symphony orchestras was terrific.
Quite hard to get into if not strings though. We all had to audition and a big music department meant lots of strong musicians. But there were quite a lot of non music students involved.

Even universities that don't run music degrees have student orchestras (Warwick, Lancaster etc). However at some unis the competition is huge and even being Grade 8 distinction won't guarantee you a place. There may be other less competitive groups available, but there may not. Depends on the uni but it is something you can find out in advance.

Loads of music at my university. Pitched at different levels - pretty much something for everyone.

Same for sport. I played "fun" hockey for years on a Sunday morning with a team from the sailing club (always caused confusion) we were pretty terrible but had great fun.

My DD's university does not have a music department, but has a well-developed music program.

www.swansea.ac.uk/music/