Aspiring to pursue a career as a professional violinist, Andrew decided to study Music - BMus (Hons) to expand his knowledge of the field, beyond purely the creative practice, to explore composition, critical thinking and the philosophy of music and its wider place in society.

Since graduating, Andrew has begun a masters degree in Violin Performance at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. Supplementing his studies by beginning his career as a freelance violinist and instrumental teacher.

Why I chose to study Music - BMus (Hons)

I chose to study at ECA to provide myself with the widest possible range of options to pursue my passion for music. Despite initially aspiring to become a professional violinist, I also knew that I wanted to expand my creative horizons through the study of composition and to develop my critical thinking abilities to be able to tackle challenging questions concerning the philosophy of music and its wider place in society. As a person who believes that a wider basis of understanding in music can always support and inform performance - not just go alongside it as something extra - I knew that ECA would be perfect for me, as it combined outstanding academic options, instrumental tuition and performance opportunities. This is alongside the fact that Edinburgh is a beautiful and inspiring city to live and study in!

My time at ECA

In my first two years at ECA, I wanted to gain as many different perspectives as possible to help me with my music-making. This meant that alongside my core studies in performance, history, analysis, musicianship and composition, I chose to take modules in music psychology and sound recording, and an external module in philosophy. As often happens, during my honours years I began to specialise more in my favourite topics. For me, this turned out to be historical performance practices and aesthetics. Besides studies in harmony, orchestration, analysis and historiography, I took up Baroque violin (borrowing an instrument from the music department), made editions of sixteenth-century choral music in a module on early notation, researched eighteenth-century Scottish chamber music, and eventually based my dissertation and final recital on performance practices in nineteenth-century string playing. I found that everything I learned would come back one way or another: for example, my early philosophy studies provided extremely helpful context to my more advanced historical research, and a knowledge of basic sound recording helped me to record high-quality audition videos for several summer schools and other external opportunities.

One of the most significant educational and social experiences at ECA for me was my involvement in university orchestras and ensembles. From playing in the symphony, chamber, string and opera orchestras to pit performances with theatre groups and premieres of pieces by postgraduate composers, I learned a lot about the different skills required for different performing scenarios and met many of my closest friends from across all departments at the university. Because the ensembles are student-led, I was also able to run for committee positions and make significant decisions about repertoire, concerts and the ways in which the university ensembles engage with the local community.

My experiences since graduating

Since graduating, I have begun a Masters in Violin Performance at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. I am further pursuing my interests in historical performance practices alongside my ‘modern’ playing, and am beginning my career as a freelance violinist and instrumental teacher. I am currently an Ambassador for the Benedetti Foundation and have recently performed as leader of the Nevis Ensemble, who take orchestral music to community and public spaces across the country. The wider musical skills I gained at university have also enabled me to begin teaching harmony and counterpoint and to do some occasional arranging work. I genuinely feel that my experiences working with orchestral committees have also had a big impact on my organisational abilities, as well as my confidence to lead groups, take chances and put together my own projects.

My advice to new and current students

My main advice would be to realise the extent of the resources available to you as a university student and to make the most of them. Joining a university means gaining access to an unbelievable wealth of information and knowledge from library materials, scores, and of course, people! Be curious and proactive, pursue the things you are passionate about and don’t be afraid to question yourself, your fellow students and your tutors based on what you discover.