Music Model Personal Statement
This is the model personal statement of a successful Oxbridge Music applicant.
Reading Nicholas Cook's 'Music: A Very Short Introduction' kindled my enthusiasm for the study of music. I was particularly interested in his discussion of how performers are perceived in classical music, and their presumed job to channel the intentions of the composer. I found Mark Tanner's article on the power of performance very provocative as he suggests a new way to analyse Liszt's Piano Sonata by taking into account the 'analyses' presented through various performances.
For me, performance is an essential component of the experience of music and it leads me to want to explore further the interface between performance and analysis. Through playing principal clarinet in the Thames Youth Orchestra I constantly discover new music, inspiring me to explore other works by these composers. For example, having played Sibelius' Fifth Symphony I was eager to listen to his other music and I subsequently read the Cambridge Music Handbook on this work. I especially enjoyed learning about Sibelius' response to the musical environment of his time, his confrontation with Modernism and his relationship with Nationalism. My interest in Sibelius has also led me to investigate the debate around the recovered fragments of the Eighth Symphony.
Despite an initial excitement at hearing the previously lost sketches, with the tantalising suggestion that the whole work could be reconstructed, I was concerned about the ethics of performing music which Sibelius probably suppressed. For my Pre-U dissertation I will be exploring the influence of Sibelius on Walton, considering Taruskin's suggestion that Walton's First Symphony 'could easily have passed for Sibelius' Eighth'. I am enjoying this opportunity to investigate the music of these two composers, and the many influences on Walton.
Alex Ross' 'The Rest is Noise' introduced me to many composers and issues in 20th century music. A study of history is essential to understanding the music of different periods as, for example, we hear Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony differently when contextualised by awareness of the purges in Soviet Russia. To extend my knowledge of Shostakovich I read 'Shostakovich: A Life' by Laurel Fay, and I intend to explore further the work of this controversial composer. However, I am troubled by the bigger issues concerning contexts, and how awareness of the circumstances of a composition affects how we perceive it. It can be easy to dismiss a work such as Shostakovich's Seventh Symphony as merely propaganda, but perhaps it would be judged more fairly without this 'baggage'.
Essentially, can art ever be viewed as standing apart from society, or is it bound by the culture within which it is created? The musical and literary palimpsest of Berio's Sinfonia fascinates me, particularly the third movement, as it delves into these issues and the nature of cultural attachment and dislocation. Moreover, it is interesting that I am currently playing Mahler's Second Symphony, the scherzo of which I first encountered through Berio, adding another perspective to how I understand both pieces.
Being actively engaged in music as a performer, I achieved grade 8 distinction in clarinet and piano. Opportunities for doubling while playing saxophone in a Big Band inspired me to learn the flute, soon passing my grade 6 with distinction. Besides my orchestral playing in several groups I also love singing and am part of the Thames Youth Choir. I am keen to encourage others in music making, and I direct the school Wind Band, allowing me to develop skills in arranging and directing.
I love classics and took GCSE Classical Greek extra-curricular last year, achieving full UMS. Attending the JACT Greek summer school twice has helped me to explore the language and culture further, and I will take the AS level this year. In addition, I am working on Gold DofE and as a runner have competed for my borough. I find music infinitely rewarding and cannot wait to immerse myself in this subject at University.
