University of Bristol - St Mary Redcliffe Church Organ Scholarship

St Mary Redcliffe Church Organ Scholarship

You will receive £1,000 per year (about 1,150 EUR), which is paid in two instalments in January and June for as long as you hold the scholarship. It is renewed annually, provided you maintain your academic performance and fulfil your obligations. It is usually awarded every three years. You may also occasionally earn additional fees for vocal performances or as a deputising organist. The scholarship is awarded by the Department of Music at the University of Bristol in conjunction with St Mary Redcliffe Church. As a scholarship holder, you will play during church services on an outstanding 1911 Harrison & Harrison organ (four manuals, 71 stops, approximately 4,500 pipes). If you have an alto, tenor or bass voice, you will also sing in the choir. You will be guided in organ playing and choir conducting by the Director of Music and the assistant organists.

Who can apply

• University: You are a full-time undergraduate or postgraduate student at the University of Bristol.
• Field of study: Any subject. You don’t necessarily have to take music.
• Organ skills: You play the organ well enough to pass an audition, and you have a keen interest in the choral traditions of the Church of England.
• Nationality: All nationalities welcome.
• Duties: You undertake to attend the duties: Sunday services with the choir, the Friday rehearsals and an annual organ concert during the lunch break each week throughout the term.
• Background check: As this role involves working with children, you will need a DBS certificate (a UK criminal record check) and references.

How to apply

First, apply to the University of Bristol via the standard UCAS route. Once you have been offered a place, please arrange an audition with the Director of Music. Informal enquiries are welcome even before you apply to the University. The application deadline for organ scholarships is 31 January; the post commences the following October.

How realistic are your chances?

This award is highly exclusive: it is usually awarded only once every three years to an organist at a church in Bristol, so very few people apply for it. If you are a good organist, are familiar with the choral traditions of the Church of England and are heading to Bristol anyway, your chances are good. The audition is the main part of the assessment, so what matters most is having solid skills on the keyboard.