Music

The Music degree at Oxford is a three-year BA that combines theoretical, historical, philosophical, sociological, and practical study of music from across the centuries and around the globe.

Trinity provides many opportunities for musicians, including those who perform while studying other subjects. The President’s Concert each term is a great showcase for all Trinity musicians. The recently opened Levine Building includes music practice rooms and a concert hall, which hosts prestigious concerts, many of which students can attend free of charge. All music students are provided with a keyboard in their college room. The Chapel Choir sings every Sunday during term and is led by the undergraduate Organ Scholars. All singers in college are encouraged to join.

Trinity’s central location makes it convenient for access to all rehearsal and performance venues, as well as the Bodleian Library. It is about a 10-minute walk from the new Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities, where the Music Faculty is located.

Course Details

Tutorials (usually in pairs) are organised by the Lecturer in Music, Hugh Collins Rice. Music students at Trinity are also provided with conducting tuition from Sarah Tennant-Flowers.

The first-year course introduces students to key concepts in contemporary musicology, as well as core technical skills in analysis, harmony, and counterpoint. It also includes options in performance and composition. For Finals, students have a wide range of options that can be tailored to their individual skills and interests.

Overall, the course engages with music from the 13th to the 21st centuries, encompassing classical music, popular music, ethnomusicology, music education, community music, composition, and performance. The Music Faculty’s introduction to the course can be found here: Faculty of Music

More Information

Oxford Music Faculty

Trinity and the Music Faculty (Google Maps)

A female student plays a clarinet; in the background other students are listening.

Teaching Structure

Students attend lectures at the Music Faculty, the number of which varies from week to week, and will normally have three tutorials per week, during which they discuss the essay or other work they have been preparing. The Music Faculty also arranges workshops and seminars on aspects of the course such as composition and performance.

Admissions

We welcome applications from musicians of all backgrounds. What matters is that you have a high level of musical skill and real curiosity about the study of music as an academic discipline. You can check the admission requirements on the Music Faculty website.

Music course details and admissions criteria

Oxford Undergraduate Admissions

Academic Study Support

All students have access to non-means-tested grants to support their studies; further funding is available to support research projects and placements, including travel grants. More detail is available on our Student Support pages.

Trinity also offers a specific fund (the Lingen Fund) to support Classics students undertaking vacation travel linked to their studies. Many of our Classicists benefit from an award towards travel to Classical sites in Greece, Italy or elsewhere.

Travel and Academic Funding for Students

Undergraduate Financial Support

The Pianist Jeneba Kanneh-Mason performs in the Levine Building auditorium at Trinity College.

Career Prospects

Many of Trinity’s graduates in Music go on to further study or work in performance, teaching or arts administration. The skills you develop during a Music degree at Oxford – problem-solving, analysis and the ability to present a clear and well-reasoned argument – are also valued by employers in a wide variety of careers outside of music.

Music

Tutors

Hugh Collins Rice

Lecturer in Music

Organising Tutor