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[madamevoilanska]

Hello! I might be one of the biggest wannabe Oxonians ever. I'll be in my last year at Northwestern University in Chicago in the fall, studying vocal performance and musicology. I'm hoping to apply to do at least the MSt in musicology for the 2009-2010 year. I'm also applying for a Fulbright and a Rhodes, just to see if anything happens there

Comments

[smellingbottle]

Well, not a music person, but if you're doing the MSt (assuming it works the same way as other subjects), your teaching will be entirely through the faculty, so it's not a matter of having to choose a college because you'll only be taught by that college's fellows. You'll have a college advisor, but chances are you might be being taught by him/her anyway, no matter what college you were at. (That's not to say that, if you are passionate about a particular individual's work, that you shouldn't apply to his/her college, but the advisor/advisee relationship is sometimes only a matter of an initial meeting and a high table dinner - they're often quite hands-off and nominal.)

A music student would have far more specific advice, but I'd suggest looking at what else you need from a college both in terms of your subject - a library with a good music collection? music practice rooms? pianos? proximity to the faculty? - and more generally - large/small/just graduates/onsite or offsite housing etc - and doing a bit of research that way via websites and e-mailing. One other thing to keep in mind is the availability of choral or organ scholarships, but I don't know whether these are offered to graduate students or non-nationals.

[lareinenoire]

One other thing to keep in mind is the availability of choral or organ scholarships, but I don't know whether these are offered to graduate students or non-nationals.

Some are. I know St. Johns, Wadham, and Merton offer choral scholarships even to people who aren't in those colleges, and regardless of whether you're an undergraduate or a graduate. No idea about organ scholarships, though I always had the impression that they were only for undergraduates.

[bopeepsheep]

The university site certainly implies that both Choral and Organ scholarships are undergraduate only, although it can't be absolutely relied upon. Certainly Lincoln only offers them to undergraduates (and not every year).

The Music Department's site suggests that Christ Church, Magdalen and New are the strongest: "A number of Colleges offer singing lessons as part of the award. The commitment at the choral foundations (Christ Church, Magdalen and New College) is the most substantial."

[lareinenoire]

This is true. I only know about the Merton scholarships because I'm in the chapel choir there at the moment and they just got a brand-new foundation for next year. And even though I didn't get offered one, they gave me no indication that it was because I was a postgraduate.

[tree_and_leaf]

I'm pretty sure Oriel offers choral scholarships to postgrads, but they're miniscule. The only meaningful perk is two free formal halls a week (not that that's to be sneered at, but I don't think it compares with the choral foundations)

[lareinenoire]

Merton's isn't too much more than that, but they do pay for singing lessons, which is something.

[the_middle_head]

John's didn't when I sang there (2005-2006).

[lareinenoire]

Yeah, I only auditioned for them and didn't get in so I don't know how things actually worked...