Choral and organ scholarships
Oxford's college chapels provide outstanding opportunities for participating in liturgical music as well as offering exceptional performance, touring and recording experience. Many colleges offer awards to singers and organists who contribute to this aspect of college life, and several also offer additional music awards.
You can audition for a choral or organ award in September before applying for your undergraduate course in the normal way.
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Choral awards
Choral scholarships are awards given to talented singers who wish to develop their choral singing while at Oxford as a member of their college chapel choir. There are 16 colleges in Oxford which offer choral awards through the University’s choral award scheme.
Further information, including details of participating colleges and guidance on how to apply, can be found on the Faculty of Music website.
Organ awards
Organ scholars are talented organ students who develop their skills as performing musicians alongside their University studies. They are appointed by colleges to play the organ for chapel services and to direct or assist in the work of the choir. In some colleges they are effectively the directors of chapel music; in others they act as assistants to a professional director of music.
The experience is without parallel for those wishing to engage in music-making at the highest level. It also offers invaluable training and experience for musicians with more modest aspirations. The chapel music environment in Oxford is extremely lively, and offers scope not only for outstanding work in chapel contexts but also for external activities such as tours and recordings.
Further information, including details of participating colleges and guidance on how to apply, can be found on the Faculty of Music website.
Other music awards
You don't have to be a music scholar to sing in a chapel choir, and many colleges offer instrumental awards for which you can audition after you have begun your studies at Oxford. Read more about the music awards offered at the colleges listed below.
Further information
Go to the University's Faculty of Music website for information on choral and awards, including details of the Choral and Organ Open Day.
Or contact:
Intercollegiate Organ Awards Coordinator: Robert Quinney
Email: [email protected]Choral Awards Coordinator: Professor Owen Rees
Tel: +44 (0) 1865 279173
Email: [email protected]Faculty of Music
Email: [email protected]
