Music @ Somerville, Oxford in 2021

Interview format

No admissions test, 2x interviews

Interview content

Interview 1: Analysis of pre-given sources, Questions on personal statement; Interview 2: Question on personal statement, Source-based analysis

Best preparation

Completed a mock interview with music teacher

Test preparation

N/A (no admissions test taken)

Final thoughts

Use the interview to see whether you'd like tutorial-style teaching

Remember this advice isn't official. There is no guarantee it will reflect your experience because university applications can change between years. Check the official Cambridge and Oxford websites for more accurate information on this year's application format and the required tests.

Also, someone else's experience may not reflect your own. Most interviews are more like conversations than tests and like, any conversation, they are quite interactive.

Interview Format

Test taken: None
Number of interviews: 2
Time between interviews: 1 day
Length of interviews: 20-40 minutes
Online interview: Yes

What happened in your interview? How did you feel?

Somerville: When I got sent my pre-interview materials this was on a Teams call with other student ambassadors from the college. I had an hour to do the materials then the tutors joined the call and the interview started by going through the pre-interview set work (an article to read, two pieces with audio and score to analyse and a music video to analyse) which I waffled about so that took most of the time. This was really interesting though and the tutors were much more responsive than I was expecting, encouraging me and saying things like "that's a really interesting point you make there", "thank you I hadn't thought of that before". Then there was like 5 minutes where they asked one question about the personal statement, then space for me to ask any questions I had and it was over.

Christ Church: I got sent the pre-interview materials - which was an extract from a book to read - 20 minutes before the interview. (I printed and annotated this with my opinions). The interview started with a discussion of an 'easy' aspect of my personal statement (my musical performance). Then we discussed the reading they had sent and finally I was given an unseen task on the spot which was to analyse a score in terms of how I would perform it.

How did you prepare for your interviews?

I had a mock interview with my teacher which was quite useful. We analysed some pieces (which was very useful because you'll deffo have to do that in a music interview) and talked about my personal statement. It was very useful having someone else to read and ask questions about my personal statement because she picked out bits of my personal statement to ask about that they actually asked me about in the interview too!

I also read various music articles on topics that interested me and/or related to my personal statement. This was useful as it got me thinking more broadly about music and encouraged me to be critical which I think is what they want in the interviews.

What advice would you give to future applicants?

Use the interview as a test as to whether you'd like the tutorial-style teaching at Oxford rather than something to get anxious about!

Regardless of whether you get in, it's an amazing opportunity to discuss the subject you're most passionate about with world-leading experts so try to relax and enjoy it :)

The tutors aren't trying to catch you out, they're just interested in having a discussion with you. You've done so well to be even considered for an interview in the first place so you should try and be confident and enjoy the experience