personal statement music technology

Music Personal Statement Tips Sheet

A musical personal statement is quite important especially for someone who wants to further their studies in the field of music. It will show the selections or admissions committee or team since it sheds light on your career aspirations in this field as well as your character. In a personal statement music technology developments in the music industry are shown to show familiarity with the field of interest.

Steps on How to Write a Music Personal Statement

There are some steps that you should follow in order for you to come up with an exemplary and flawless music statement of purpose, you can use these steps for any ps, including personal philosophy statement . The steps are as follows:

• Begin the music technology personal statement with a catchy opening sentence. It should be original and precise and it should not be copied or regularly used as a cliché.
• Make sure you answer particular questions. This includes explaining who you are, what your goals are as well as the personal reasons for desiring admissions to a specific music program.
• In your music technology personal statement, use logical and concrete examples to demonstrate your statements. You could end the personal statement using very modest language. In the personal statement music technology is given focus.

Dos and Don’ts While Writing a Music Personal Statement

There are a couple of dos and don’ts that you should put into account so that you come up with an exemplary music statement of purpose (as well as for writing a diversity statement ). The don’ts include:

Image credit: slidesharecdn.com

• Don’t be chatty and unofficial. Considering you are using the personal statement to seek a competitive position, make sure that you avoid using slang and approaching the subject matter casually.
• Famous quotes should be avoided since these will be applied in countless other applications. Many people will be using them equally yet you intend to be as unique and authentic as possible.
• Don’t be tempted to ask another party to write the personal statement for you. You should also avoid rewriting it from another person’s copy. Rather, write it personally from scratch to present the best version of yourself in it.

Some of the Dos That You Should Put into Consideration Include

• Organizing the write-up appropriately. You can make bullet points and also address the issues from the most to the least important.
• Making sure you spare enough time to review and edit personal statement music conservatoire before submitting it. Proofreading gets rid of all mistakes and errors made during writing.
• Being specific while addressing the key points that make up the personal statement about music rather than being general about them.
• In the music personal statement, do a proper show on the subject matter to show you are up to date with the developments in the particular field.

Tips on How to Make Your Music Personal Statement Win

There are a couple of tips that you should put into consideration to make sure that your personal statement music production is winning. The tips are as follows:

• In your music grad school personal statement, you should show your enthusiasm for the subject in whatever you put across to show that you are really interested. You could state the reason for interest as well as anything you are doing differently that’s to do with the subject.
• You should make the graduate music personal statement convincing enough, so make sure to provide the reader with your academic interest and future plans, and how it can change the world in the future.
• Apart from listing your academic qualifications as well as job experiences, you should show evidence you have actually thought about the choice of degree and you are excited about it. You could put out some information or questions you would like answered by the study.
• While expressing yourself be less emotional and organize your thoughts in a logic way, even when you say about your passion for the subject.
• Be specific enough as well, for instance, you can mention some particular books or someone’s activity that inspired you. This will display your awareness of study field you are applying to.
• To stand out, you could make references to sources that are not in the A level syllabus. This depicts some kind of independence in reading.

If you need any form of help with writing your statement about music, make sure to reach out to us and we will be ready to assist you and work with you.

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We asked music tutors what they're looking for (and what to avoid) in your personal statement – here's what they told us. For more personal statement advice, see our guide for everything you need to get writing .

What to include in your music personal statement

• Where your musical enthusiasm lies: Dr Kirsten Gibson, music admissions tutor and programme leader at Newcastle University (an academic course), is looking for detailed, engaging examples of your musical experiences, interests, and your academic and musical aspirations. These could lie in performance, composition, music history, analysis, ethnomusicology, or elsewhere.
• Wider reading around music: for academic courses in particular, do mention additional reading you've done around the subject, including what you've learned from it. You should also be prepared to expand on this during an interview .
• Extra-curricular musical activities: rather than reeling off a list of what you've done, try and write reflectively about the insights, skills, and knowledge you've gained from a select few experiences.
• Why music: write clearly and engagingly about the subject and your reasons for wanting to study it at university level – this should naturally lead you to demonstrate your current knowledge, skills, passion, and suitability for the course.
• Teamwork skills: the University of Bristol is also keen to see examples inside or outside of your studies where you've demonstrated your abilities to work well as part of a team.
• Awareness of what different music courses cover: practical or academic, your statement should engage directly with the actual courses you’re applying for. If you're applying to a conservatoire, do refer to the relevant advice on our website .
• popular music
• composition
• performance
• songwriting
• church music
• Make sure your statement highlights some of your skills, knowledge, achievements, or experience that are relevant to that field. Remember to do this in a reflective way, not just with a list of things you've done.

What not to do in your music personal statement

• Clichés: avoid the likes of ‘music is my life' or ‘music is a universal language.’
• Replication: including information on additional music qualifications and grades you have is important, but put these in one of the qualifications boxes on your application form so you don’t have to waste valuable space on it in your statement.
• Ignore the course content: make sure your statement shows you've researched your courses carefully, to ensure that they suit your musical and professional aspirations. If it's a course that focuses on music production or technology, for instance, then your statement needs to talk about your practical and academic interests in these areas.

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Music Personal Statement Guide

Personal statements can be a bit of a paradox. On the one hand, they all need to do the same things as each other, namely describe your interest in a subject, your motivation for studying it at university, and your readiness to undertake the course. On the other, they have to be unique to you and to stand out from all the others. It’s little wonder that students struggle to know how and where to begin.

It’s also understandable if the prospect of putting pen to paper is daunting, but the best way to approach it is not to delay but instead to look at the writing of it as you might an essay. There are certain requirements that it must fulfil, it needs to follow a structure, and it should be interesting and entertaining to read.

To dispel any concerns you might have about what to do and not do when writing your statement, this guide will take you through the following steps:

• Why are Personal Statements Important?
• What Should I Include in a Music Personal Statement?  
• What Should I Avoid in a Music   Personal Statement ?  
• Advice on How to Start a Music Personal Statement
• Advice on How to Finish a Music Personal Statement

What Should I Avoid in a Music Personal Statement ?  

Don’t just focus on the one or two aspects you’re most interested in, e.g. playing jazz piano or analysing the works of lesser-known German Romantic composers. As the degree is a broad one, show that you’re willing to learn about other areas and to acquire new skills .

The language of your personal statement should maintain a polite formality and avoid casual language . You should also never rely on banal clichés or other people’s words, i.e. quotations, because this is your chance to talk about you in your own words and way.

Above all else, don’t exaggerate and don’t lie ; tutors can tell when abilities are overstated and books haven’t been read. This is especially important if you’re going for an interview or have to give a performance as questions will be asked.

Register to access our complimentary e-book "So You Want To Go To Oxbridge? Tell me about a banana…"

Advice on How to Start a Music Personal Statement  

One way to open your personal statement is to begin with why you’re compelled to study music at university and talk about how your interest has developed up to this point. It’s not necessary to trace your deep interest in music all the way back to the first piece you ever heard. It’s enough to mention a moment of recognition or realisation in your relationship with music that set you on this path.

If you don't want to begin at the chronological start of your musical journey, you could instead open with the area that most captures your interest. Use this as an opportunity to jump straight into an academic discussion and set the tone for the rest of your statement.

Universities want to see you’re going to maintain your interest and passion, but also that you can develop further as a musician and academic. It's difficult to encompass this in an opening statement, so sometimes it helps to brainstorm ideas around the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of your choice, and only then begin to draft an interesting introduction.

Advice on How to Finish a Music Personal Statement  

A degree in music is going to expose you to so much more than you have encountered up to now in this field, so universities want to know this won’t be lost on you. If you feel so inclined, you can talk about various modules you like the look of (as long as each university in your application offers something similar) and what you think studying those will bring you.

The conclusion to an effective statement brings together your ideas, interests, motivation, and ambition to reiterate your desire to study music to an advanced level and your suitability to do so.

• What are some Tips for Writing a Strong Music Personal Statement?
• How Long Should my Music Personal Statement Be?
• What Kind of Extracurricular Activities Should I Include in my Music Personal Statement?
• How Can I Tailor my Music Personal Statement to the Oxford/Cambridge Course?

It’s likely that some of your music degree will involve working as part of groups, as well as independently. This reflects the music industry more widely as, whether it’s in a studio or an orchestra pit, musicians, composers, conductors, and sound technicians all have to work together to produce what you ultimately hear. Your statement should therefore reference the extent to which you’ve collaborated with others to achieve common goals, as well as what your own independent endeavours have produced.

A degree in music relies on a range of skills, many of which you’ll have started to develop at school. Examples of these include problem-solving, analysis, critical thinking, creative invention, an eye for detail, and performance under pressure. It’s not necessary to list all your skills and how you’ve acquired them, but mentioning how you’ve come by some and the ways they could be transferable to the academic study of music will enable you to demonstrate your readiness for the degree.

The personal statement cannot exceed 4000 characters (including spaces), or alternatively 47 lines of the UCAS form. It’s therefore paramount you make the most of all the available limit you’re given by working out in advance what you should include and exclude, based on how important you deem the information to be. When you start writing, it will become easier to work out how best to express your ideas concisely.

Naturally, your extracurricular engagement with music should be given space in the statement, but it’s not enough just to list what you do and to what level. Universities want to see how you’ve learned and grown as a student and musician, and whether you have the potential to develop even further. Over and above your musical competencies, it’s always worthwhile talking about instances where you’ve done something out of the ordinary, which might be leading a youth orchestra, playing the piano in a care home, or teaching music to toddlers. Finally, your reading and thoughts around the subject should always feature in the statement as this is a surefire way of demonstrating intellectual curiosity and independent thinking.

Whilst you cannot be too specific (since the same statement is sent to all your university choices), there are some styles and techniques you can employ to ensure your personal statement is Oxbridge-appropriate.

A main consideration to make is that the Oxford and Cambridge courses are expectedly broad, but give you scope to tailor your path to suit your interests. This means you have free rein, within reason, to choose modules that suit you. That said, the universities will want to see your willingness to learn what might not initially appeal to you, as this is a mark of a dispassionate and intellectually free approach to study. You shouldn’t, therefore, rule anything out either in your statement or interview, but rather maintain an open mind and be prepared to throw yourself into all that the course can offer.

Furthermore, Oxbridge personal statements should be incredibly discerning on content, and should only mention academically-relevant experiences or resources which prove either your interest, motivations, or skills relevant to the music degree course.

Book your Music Personal Statement Package

You can contact our Oxbridge-graduate Consultants on +44 (0) 20 7499 2394 or email [email protected] to discuss our personal statement packages.  

If you’d like to know more about Music, we have admissions test guidance and interview preparation readily available.  

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Bachelor of Arts, Music Technology Option

The Music Technology option concentrates on audio production, recording, mixing, electro-acoustic composition techniques, interactive sound synthesis, and digital audio fluency. The Music Technology curricular path gives students the flexibility to choose supporting coursework in sound design, engineering, computer sciences and more.

Talent Requirements for Application

The link to your supplemental music form will be emailed to you 24-48 hours after you submit your University application. In addition to completing the university application, applicants should submit a personal statement, a portfolio, and plan for an interview.

• Personal Statement: Applicants must submit an essay or personal statement (approximately 300-500 words) that includes a summary of academic achievements in music, music technology, and/or related areas, a description of interests and experiences relevant to the degree program, significant accomplishments, and career goals.
• Large files, such as high-resolution videos, should only be included via link to an external site. Smaller files, such as audio and text, can be uploaded directly or via external link.
• Do not upload files in platform-specific formats. Common examples include music notation software files (MuseScore, Finale, Sibelius, Dorico, etc.) and DAW session files (Logic, Ableton, FL Studio, GarageBand, etc). All uploaded items must be in standard text/image/audio/video formats. Examples of valid formats include (but are not necessarily limited to) doc, docx, txt, rtf, pdf, jpg, png, mp3, aiff, wav, mov, and mp4.
• If your application includes code-based projects, you may upload the code files directly, or link to an external site where the project is hosted, such as GitHub. In either case, the applicant is strongly encouraged to include a short video or set of image files that document the code project in action.
• Interview: Applicants will participate in a short interview with members of the Composition, Theory & Technology faculty. Interview topics may include the applicant’s academic background, educational interests, and professional goals. Applicants will also have the opportunity to ask questions.

Start your application  

Learn more about the university application and get started now.

Audition requirements  

The audition is optional for the BA degree. Learn more about the requirements.

Submit a portfolio  

Instructions on how to submit your portfolio.

About Bachelor of Arts, Music Technology

The Bachelor of Arts with a Major in Music is a 120-hour degree that is designed for students who wish to pursue a music degree with curricular flexibility to complete coursework in secondary and complementary areas of study. The BA in Music requires students to select a specific area of study, called an “option.” The goals of the Music Technology option include:

• To treat the study of technology and music as equal subject areas, adopting a broad, multi-disciplinary approach to the curriculum.
• To frame music technology within the larger contexts of historical trends, social transformation and ethical responsibility.
• To give students a technical understanding of computers and a familiarity with how computers mediate work in different disciplines across the arts and sciences.
• To transform students from consumers of digital media into informed producers of content.
• To provide an education relevant to contemporary career paths

Some examples of career paths in Music Technology include music production, recording/live sound engineering, sound design, multimedia and game design, hardware/software design, film and media scoring, music business, and music education. Beyond the required Music Technology courses, students may select from a broad range of electives in order to tailor the degree to their specific interests. In addition, students pursuing the Music Technology option will develop proficiency in music theory and ear training through the core music curriculum. Outside of coursework, Music Technology students have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience assisting with concert recording and production for the School of Music.

Degree requirements  

Learn more about the degree requirements for the BA, Music Technology by visiting the academic catalog.

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Music Technology faculty

Eli Fieldsteel  

Lamont Holden  

School of Music

Where artistry and innovation share center stage, music & technology portfolio requirements, undergraduate.

The Bachelor of Science in Music and Technology (M&T) is a tri-college degree designed for students who would like to combine and blend their interests in music with electrical and computer engineering or with computer science rather than to pursue conventional majors and degrees in both. To be considered for the M&T program, you must apply and be admitted to the School of Music and show academic credentials that would be admissible to either the College of Engineering for Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) or the School of Computer Science (SCS).

Current students at CMU may apply for internal transfer into the Music and Technology program. Deadlines for transfer are October 1 for the following spring semester, and March 1 for the following fall semester. For more information about transferring into the program, contact Sharon Johnston , School of Music's Director of Student Services.

Choosing a Specific Track within the School of Music:

The Music and Technology curriculum is split into three concentrations or tracks: the music concentration, composition concentration, and the technical concentration. Candidates must know which track they wish to pursue prior to applying. Students who are qualified for the music or composition concentration have a significant level of training and talent either on a specific instrument or in classical voice, or have exceptional skill for original music composition. This level of talent or skill must be equal to that of the other music majors in the School of Music, as students in the music concentration perform alongside traditional music majors in ensembles, continue private lessons with master faculty, and/or write original musical works that will be performed and recorded. Students who do not play an instrument, sing or compose music at a high level, but who have significant experience with computer music, electronic devices, digital systems and other engineering aspects of music are more appropriately suited for the technical concentration. When completing the School of Music Application, M&T candidates will apply for their desired track by choosing an area of concentration in the program section of the online application.

All Music &Technology or BXA applicants must upload a portfolio containing samples of their creative work to the School of Music. The music application and portfolio are due December 1.

Portfolio contents may include:

• Audio recordings of performances or compositions that you engineered
• Video recordings of performances or compositions that you produced or edited
• Software listings for programs that you have written
• Screenshots of your software or other creative work
• Web pages you have created

The members of the Music & Technology faculty panel will review your portfolio electronically.  You may be contacted by a member of the panel should they have additional questions.  

Additionally , applicants interested in specializing in the music or composition concentrations must also complete the required admission or audition assessment for that particular area:

Instrumental Performance:

Select your instrument from the drop down menu in the online School of Music application, answer the additional questions about your training, and pay the audition fee. M&T candidates who want to specialize in instrumental performance must complete and pass a major level audition. Please read the audition requirements and instructions for your specific studio very carefully.

Vocal Performance:

Select your voice type from the drop down menu in the online School of Music application, answer the additional questions about your training, and pay the audition fee. M&T candidates who want to specialize in classical voice must complete and pass a major level audition.  Please read the audition requirements and instructions very carefully.

Music Composition:

Select composition from the drop down menu in the online School of Music application, answer the additional questions, and pay the portfolio review fee. M&T candidates who want to specialize in music composition must complete and pass a major level review. Please read the requirements and instructions very carefully, as composers must submit a portfolio containing original works that meet specific criteria.

Technology Concentration:

Select technology in the drop down menu in the online School of Music application, then submit the application and portfolio materials.

The Music & Technology panel will submit the results of the portfolio review to the Office of Undergraduate Admission. If your audition or portfolio review is critiqued favorably, you will be recommended for admission to the Office of Undergraduate Admission, and the Office of Undergraduate Admission will respond by reviewing your academic credentials. 

All music & technology candidates are required to complete a portfolio.

Students applying to the Master of Science in Music and Technology must submit application and portfolio materials by December 1st.. After reviewing application and portfolio materials, faculty will select and contact applicants for portfolio review interviews. Decisions are released March 15th, and admitted students will have until April 15th to consider the offer of admission and express intent to enroll.

Application (December 1st) Graduate Music and Technology applicants must first complete the School of Music’s application, along with the application fee.

Application Materials

• Application
• Three letters of recommendation
• Official Undergraduate Transcripts (desired GPA 3.0)
• Official GRE Score Report (if available; test-optional for Fall 2024 applicants)
• Official language scores (TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo) 
• Personal Statement

list of undergraduate courses in engineering, computer science, math, physics, science

• list of undergraduate courses in music
• list of computer languages studied
• list of instruments played and performance credits (if any)
• intended focus for Masters: engineering; computer science; or music/performance
• intended focus for thesis topic (if available)

In addition to the application, Music and Technology faculty reviews applicant portfolios containing the applicant(s) original work, which may include:

• Audio recordings of performances or compositions or that you engineered
• Video recordings of performances or compositions or that you produced or edited
• Web pages you have created.

It is critical that work be submitted in formats that can be heard on a variety of computers and operating systems. Media choices are limited to: -Standard audio formats: Wave (.wav), AIFF (.aiff), MP3 (.mp3); -Common video formats: Quicktime (.mov), MPEG-4 (.mp4); -Portable document formats: Adobe Acrobat (.pdf), HTML (.htm); -Common image formats: JPEG (.jpg), TIFF (.tif), Portable Network Graphics (.png). -Collections of Files (e.g. a computer program or a stand-alone set of web pages) may be submitted as a ZIP format archive

Throughout the month of January, the Music and Technology faculty will review and critique portfolio submissions and select students for interviews. The faculty will forward the results of their review to candidates in mid January. If you are invited to an interview, your appointment confirmation must be emailed no less than two weeks before the chosen date. After confirming an interview with applicants, faculty will send final confirmations one week before the scheduled portfolio review.

During the portfolio review interview, applicants will meet with a faculty panel to discuss creative process, background, and future goals. Candidates are not required to prepare or to bring materials or additional items to the appointment.

All materials must be received by December 1st .

• Contact Music Admission

Applying for Music at Oxbridge: The Course, and How To Craft A Standout Music Personal Statement

Find out more about the Oxbridge music courses and what to read/ listen to for your music personal statement with U2 tutor, Kai (1st Class Cambridge Music graduate and current Oxford PhD student, researching the existential implications of AI-composed music).

What does a Music course involve at Oxford or Cambridge?

Studying Music at university is an inspiring and thrilling experience—yet, until you have first-hand experience, it can be difficult to tell what an academic Music course actually entails. Specifically, how does studying Music at a university like Oxford or Cambridge differ from doing a performance or composition degree at a conservatoire? Is there a difference?

The short answer is yes—there is a huge difference. For although you can choose to make performance or composition play a role in your university studies, they will never become the main focus; at both Oxford and Cambridge, both performance and composition are each limited to around a fifth or sixth of your studies in a given year. So what do you do with the rest of your time? Here are some of the key components that make up most Music degrees:

Music history

o   This is usually focused on the development of Western music (all the way from plainchant to the present!); the emphasis is on the continuities and discontinuities between styles through history. For example, how did Schoenberg’s atonal music emerge from Wagner’s late Romanticism? At the same time, music history explores how music has both shaped and been shaped by the extra-musical features of its historical context, such as literature, visual art, philosophy, theology, and politics. For example, what impact did Stalin’s censorship have on Shostakovich’s musical style?

Theory and stylistic composition

o   This is the study of the fundamental methods and conventions that define a musical language. Although there will likely be an initial focus on the Western tonal and modal tradition—for example, Classical and Romantic harmony, Baroque fugue, and Renaissance counterpoint—there is also scope for things like jazz transcriptions, film music composition, and orchestration.

o   At first, analysis is not hugely differentiated from theory, as both involve understanding how music is constructed; at its most basic level, then, analysis involves things like identifying chords and structural markers in specific compositions. However, where analysis becomes really exciting is when you can build on these foundations to make your own judgments and interpretations. For example, there might be a Chopin nocturne you love, and that always makes you feel nostalgic; you could then try to get the bottom of how exactly Chopin’s compositional decisions—his choice of specific chords etc.—may serve to evoke such feelings.

Composition

o   Here you have ‘free reign’, as it were. Although you will be encouraged to find your own compositional voice, you will be exposed to lots of different musical styles, especially those of living composers, in order to inspire you.

Performance

o   This is predominantly assessed through solo recitals. However, given that you are studying at an academic university rather than a conservatoire, there is also an emphasis on understanding key issues in performance, rather than simply practising your instrument. For example, to what extent are a performer’s facial expressions part of their performance?

Ethnomusicology and sociology of music

o   These related areas constitute the study of music in specific cultural contexts, with a particular emphasis on how musical practices interact with social structures. Ethnomusicology differs subtly from sociology of music in its focus on musics that do not belong to the broad tradition of Western art music—for example, the gamelan music of Bali. The sociology of music tends to be more focused on issues like gender, sexuality, and power structures, as they manifest in the music of contemporary society.

Psychology of music (music and science)

o   This investigates how we perceive and are uniquely affected by music, using psychological methods such as listening experiments, surveys, and brain scans.

What should I read (and listen to!) in preparation for my music personal statement and interviews?

I would suggest, as a general rule, that there are two types of book you should read. Firstly, general overviews and introductions are extremely useful for providing a basic grounding in key areas, as well as for drawing your attention to specific topics that might strike you as especially fascinating. This brings me to the second type of book: more narrowly focused works on a specific topic, such as a composer, a period of history, or a key concept (such as cultural appropriation in music). Remember, though, that you are NOT expected to have read and to know everything! So even though I will provide quite a few suggestions, I would suggest that you stick to reading a couple of introductory books and a couple of books that align with your specific interests. What’s most important is that you read carefully and critically —make sure to note down your ideas as you read. This will be useful for your personal statement as admissions tutors are looking for applicants who can critique and present their opinions, rather than list an abundance of books they have read. Some introductory books include:

An Introduction to Music Studies , edited by JPE Harper-Scott and Jim Samson

o   This book consists of a series of chapters by renowned specialists on the key areas and themes in the study of music—in effect, a much expanded (and much better!) version of the summary I gave above.

Oxford’s Very Short Introductions

o   There are several of these for music, including: Music (in general); Film Music; Folk Music; Ethnomusicology; Psychology of Music; Early Music; World Music; Country Music; and The Blues. Because they are so short and readable, they are the perfect way to sample various areas.

A Guide to Musical Analysis , by Nicholas Cook

o   This is a readable overview of key concepts and techniques in musical analysis; it’s especially useful for those who are daunted by the topic.

Musicology: The Key Concepts , by David Beard and Kenneth Gloag

o   This book consists of a huge number of short entries on themes in musicology, including things like ethics, gender, globalization, interpretation, modernism, and the sublime.

In terms of the second type of book, there are two main ways to find them. You can look for what the above introductions reference when they are focusing on a particular theme. In addition, you can simply search on a website that sells books—such as Amazon, Waterstones, or Blackwell’s—for the topic you are interested in, such as Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring . In general, books published by university presses, such as Oxford and Cambridge, will be more detailed and will be written by specialist academics; for this reason, I would encourage you to give some a go, but also not to be discouraged if you don’t understand everything at this stage. The key point is to read what grabs your attention —for this reason, there is no extensive general reading list I can give. That said, here are some personal suggestions for particularly good books on specific areas:

The Rest is Noise , by Alex Ross

o   This is an extremely popular book, and rightly so. Ross takes you on a journey through twentieth-century music, from late Romanticism, through Stockhausen, to Rock music.

The Classical Style and The Romantic Generation , by Charles Rosen

o   Both these books are classics, and focus on the Classical and Romantic eras respectively. Their main strength is Rosen’s ability to present deep insights from the music itself—they are ‘serious’ musicology—in a beautifully readable manner.

Cambridge Music Handbooks

o   This is a series of short books, written by specialists, each of which focuses on a specific piece, from Bach’s Mass in B Minor to The Beatles’s Sergeant Pepper . They are both accessible and rigorous.

Sound and Symbol , by Viktor Zuckerkandl.

o   This is a beautiful and quite poetic book that explores the experience of listening to music. Although there is some analysis, it is engaging throughout and never dry. 

Finally, it is crucial never to stop listening to music! Never just read a book on musical history without looking up some of the music mentioned and listening to it yourself—otherwise, what’s the point of studying music? Listen to what you love, read about what you love to listen to, and listen to what you are reading about. At the same time, listen to pieces outside your comfort zone , and make sure you are familiar with some of the seminal pieces in the history of music —not just because they are important in the study of music due to their influence, but also because they are generally amazing!

Some good music pieces to listen to for Oxbridge applications

Try listening to a few pieces a week, along with the score (there are many YouTube videos with the audio synced up with the score). Here are some suggestions, in chronological order—this list is by no means exhaustive, and is focused on the kind of music that you will encounter whilst studying music history (that is, music from the Western art music tradition):

·         Dies Irae anonymous plainchant

·         O Ignis Spiritus Paracliti , by Hildegard of Bingen (12th century)

·         Viderunt Omnes , by Perotin (c.1200)

·         Ave Maria Virgo Serena , by Josquin (c.1475)

·         Missa Papae Marcelli , by Palestrina (c.1562)

·         Vespers , by Monteverdi (1610)

·         St Matthew Passion , by Bach (1741)

·         Piano Concerto no.21 , by Mozart (1785)

·         Symphony no.9 , by Beethoven (1824)

·         Dichterliebe , by Schumann (1840)

·         Tristan and Isolde (especially the Prelude and Liebestod ), by Wagner (1865)

·         Symphony no.4 , by Brahms (1885)

·         Symphony no.9 (‘From the New World’) , by Dvorak (1893)

·         Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun , by Debussy (1894)

·         Symphony no.5 , by Mahler (1902)

·         Violin Concerto , by Sibelius (1905)

·         Gaspard de la nuit , by Ravel (1908)

·         Three Piano Pieces op. 11 , by Schoenberg (1909)

·         Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis , by Vaughan Williams (1910)

·         The Rite of Spring , by Stravinsky (1913)

·         Cello Concerto , by Elgar (1919)

·         Symphony , by Webern (1928)

·         Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta , by Bartok (1937)

·         Symphony no.5 , by Shostakovich (1937)

·         Appalachian Spring , by Copland (1944)

·         Peter Grimes , by Britten (1945)

·         Four Last Songs , by Richard Strauss (1948)

·         Le marteau sans maître , by Pierre Boulez (1955)

·         Atmosphères , by Gyorgy Ligeti (1961)

·         Sinfonia , by Luciano Berio (1969)

·         Black Angels , by George Crumb (1970)

·         Rothko Chapel , by Morton Feldman (1971)

·         Music for 18 Musicians , by Steve Reich (1976)

·         Symphony of Sorrowful Songs , by Henryk Gorecki (1976)

·         Asyla , by Thomas Adès (1997)

·         Orion , by Kaija Saariaho (2002)

·         Partita for 8 Voices, by Caroline Shaw (2012)

·         Become Ocean , by John Luther Adams (2013)

Remember, the point of a personal statement is to be personal. Professors are looking for applicants who can demonstrate certain abilities, but how you gain those abilities and how you exhibit them in your personal statement and at interview is completely up to you and should be determined by your interests. Studying music at Cambridge or Oxford is an incredible experience.

Good luck, and happy reading and listening!

Looking for a Cambridge or Oxford Music Personal Statement Writing Tutor or Support For Your Wider Oxbridge Music Application?

Music Degree Personal Statement Support

U2’s Oxbridge-educated mentors have a close insight into what admissions tutors like to see in a Music personal statement, and can help students to convey their skills, motivations, and long term goals, in order to stand out from other applicants. The statement should be the candidates own work, but our mentors will provide direction and guide you through the process of content building and writing. We offer offline drafting as well as tuition sessions.

Oxbridge Music Mentoring

U2 offers wider Oxbridge Mentoring programmes (book a free consultation to discuss options). We have a large team of Oxford and Cambridge Music tutors including 1st Class, Master’s and PhD level graduates.

The Process:

1) We suggest a Cambridge or Oxford Music graduate as a mentor and send their full CV for review. Our mentors are deeply familiar with the admissions process to study Music at Oxford and Cambridge University, and are well-placed to guide you through personal statement curation and preparation for the interview process. We may suggest a range of application tutors to choose from with slightly differing rates depending on qualifications and level of experience.

2) We typically suggest beginning with a 1.5 hour informal assessment/ taster session , where the mentor will informally assess the student’s current performance level for application, including test and interview. Following this, we issue a report with feedback, and structure a plan to best prepare.

3) U2’s approach for regular Oxbridge Music application sessions: The main focus of tutorial sessions will be to explore material that can be discussed in the personal statement and at interview - this may sometimes stretch to First Year Undergraduate. Mentors ensure each student refines their interests, and is exposed to a range of new concepts, guiding students in their reading and wider subject exploration. Together, we build a case for the student, solidifying the stance and direction they will take during interview and honing critical discussion and analytical skills for interview.

Frequency of sessions can be decided between student and mentor. Students can take either ad hoc sessions, or we structure a full programme for preparation, which may include further co-curricular opportunities such as our Oxbridge mock interview days. Honing the skills necessary to succeed for Oxbridge ideally requires long-term preparation and mentoring presents a wonderful opportunity to learn from some of the very best Oxbridge has produced.

Sessions from £75/h.

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