Music at Warwick!
Heading into Uni I knew that Music would make up a huge part of my Uni experience. At home I took part in School and regional bands and wanted to immerse myself more at Uni.
Warwick doesn’t have a Music degree but for me, an enthusiastic amateur musician, I think this has even improved my music experience. There are a wide range music societies available, there’s no expectation that you need to be studying music and I certainly imagine less jostling for parts. At Warwick we’re all in the same boat, musicians who play for pleasure.
If you know music is important to you, I’d certainly recommend checking out music offerings at different universities. I thought every university would have unauditioned music societies but you might be surprised. Here’s a brief overview of Warwick’s offering:
Ensembles
Warwick have both auditioned and unauditioned ensembles covering a wide range of genres. The Symphony Orchestra is auditioned for wind instruments however both the Wind Orchestra, Big Band and Brass Society have unauditioned groups. These societies organise both joint concerts and socials and compete in respective regional and University competitions. As a previous President of Wind Orchestra I may be biased but I would really recommend a larger ensemble. The majority of these societies have smaller groups like jazz bands, woodwind choirs and chamber orchestras, perfect for even more music (the more the better I say).
Productions
If singing and acting is up your street, check out Musical Theatre Warwick and Opera Society. These societies organise shows throughout the year which are ticketed and performed at Warwick Arts Centre (see below!). They also have live orchestras, made up of Uni students, which is a great way to get into the showtime spirit without being on stage! These productions also need tech crews and producers behind the scene so there is also the opportunity to get involved here too!
Choirs
Warwick also have a great choir offering, from Chamber Choir to unauditioned Chorus. As well as hosting concerts and providing vocals to some symphony pieces, Chamber Choir members also sing at the University graduation ceremonies!
Warwick Arts Centre
One of the best parts of music at Warwick is the performance venue opportunities you will have while you’re here. A lot of societies have the opportunity to perform at our Arts Centre. It is one of the biggest Arts Centres in the UK, attracting over 300,000 visitors a year. You might even have the opportunity to perform in the Butterworth Hall, a 1,500 seat concert hall which has hosted the likes of the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Michael Morpurgo. The Arts Centre is currently under significant redevelopment which will include the addition of 3 cinemas and 4 art galleries.
Joint Socials!
There are a lot of great inter-society socials on offer at Warwick. A highlight being the Music Centre Ball, organised for Term 2 each year. All the societies come together for an evening of music, good wine and ball gowns. A Music Centre BBQ and Music Centre Mingle are also organised so you can meet the maximum number of musicians possible at Warwick.
Getting involved in music was one of the best things I have done at Warwick. As well as supporting my musicianship, music has also helped me meet some of my best friends. All music societies are different so try them all out and see what genre you enjoy!!
