Hi! I’m Hannah, a second-year MusB Music student from Hong Kong. I decided to study music at the University of Manchester as there is a diverse range of modules, weekly lunchtime concerts featuring professional musicians, and the opportunity to be part of many ensembles and activities in MUMS (Manchester University Music Society), including going on tour. The University also has a nice campus, with green areas and most buildings located near each other. In terms of the city itself, Manchester has a diverse music scene, which is great for exploring both classical and popular music. It’s also easy to travel between the University’s student accommodations, University campus, and city centre, with many bus routes running on Oxford Road (where the campus is located). With everything located so close together, it’s possible to travel around by foot or bike.

There are many opportunities for you to make friends and settle into life in a new country. Freshers’ week is when everyone is trying to make friends and there is a range of freshers’ events and fairs you can get involved in (and get freebies). Take part in the events organised for your course to meet your coursemates and get to know your flatmates if you’re living in halls of residence. There are over 400 societies at the University, focusing on arts, academics, volunteering, sports, culture, and more. Societies allow you to find people with common interests, and cultural societies are a great place to find people from the same country. Societies also organise many socials where you can meet new people, and don’t all include drinking if that’s not for you. 

On the academic side, I’m enjoying the course, and the lecturers are knowledgeable and supportive. In first year, the wide range of content covered by the mandatory modules helped me build a foundation of musical knowledge and encouraged me to think in new ways about different aspects and perspectives of music. For second and third year, the modules become optional, so you can focus on the aspects of music that you’re most interested in. There is a diverse range of modules to choose from in music and you can also take other modules from SALC (School of Arts, Languages and Cultures). 

I’ve learnt so much from every module, but my favourites are Musical Notation and Solo Performance. Musical Notation is so different from what I previously encountered in music. We looked at the early notation of music – mensural notation and lute tablature – and learnt how to transcribe these to modern conventions. My teachers for Solo Performance have taught me so much and are really encouraging. The Music Department’s teachers are all very experienced, for example, performing with orchestras like the Hallé and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, and successful freelance performers.

One of the most memorable performances I’ve had is performing with the University’s Symphony Orchestra in the second week of first year. It was my first time playing in a symphony orchestra, first time playing with a choir, and first time learning performance repertoire in one week. I was able to meet a lot of people and I really enjoyed it. This year, I’m also taking part in managing concerts as concert manager and Outreach Orchestra co-coordinator in MUMS. I’m also part of the Staff Student Liaison Committee and a PASS (Peer-Assisted Study Sessions) Coordinator and Leader, raising student concerns with staff members and running informal study sessions for first years in the respective roles. These roles are great opportunities to gain valuable skills for finding a job, and can be applied to many roles and situations. 

I hope this gives you an informative overview of what it’s like studying music at the University of Manchester!

Written by Hannah, a second year Music student

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