Musical life at Fitzwilliam is active, varied and stimulating, and we aspire to the highest standards in both practical and academic music.
Practical music
Distinguished Fitzwilliam music alumni include composer Sir Henry Walford Davies (Master of the King's Musick 1934-41), writer and broadcaster Humphrey Burton CBE, conductor David Atherton OBE, musicologists Professor Simon Keefe, Dr Alan Brown and Professor Mervyn Cooke, violinists Roger Garland and Nicholas Dowding, violist Martin Outram, oboist Rachel Frost, bass Matthew Waldren, jazz pianist Colin Purbrook, opera director John Ramster, songwriter Nick Drake, composer Nicholas Marshall and recorder player John Turner.
To find out more about practical music in the College, enquire about putting on a concert or how to get involved in the huge amount of music on at Fitzwilliam College email the Director of Music, Catherine Groom (music@fitz.cam.ac.uk).
Studying Music
Each year, Fitzwilliam admits three students for the Music Tripos. An Organ Scholar is elected every other year, and there are eight Choral Scholars; all of these may read any subject. Students reading Music are taught through formal lectures in the Music Faculty and through small-group College supervisions; these latter sessions support and complement the lectures. Supervisions are taught by a team of expert subject specialists organized by the Director of Studies in Music, and include the five members of the College music staff. In terms of academic resources, Fitzwilliam’s modern library incorporates the largest college music collection in the University, and is constantly acquiring new material.
- For details of the Music Tripos at Fitzwilliam, see our Music course page
- The Undergraduate course structure can be found on the Music Faculty webpage
- University-wide music scholarship information is available on the University's music awards page
- Fitzwilliam also admits students for both MPhil and PhD in Music, see the Music Faculty webpage