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Our Music Department offers a wide range of musical activities to all students, staff and members of the local community. Regardless of your ability or experience, you’re invited to join our ensembles, attend our performances and go on international tours.
We welcome all levels of performers from Portsmouth and the surrounding area and provide a supportive, friendly and socially vibrant environment to engage with music. You’re invited to join our ensembles whether you study or work with us, or live in the local area and want to get involved. It’s a great environment to meet other musicians no matter what you do.
We offer some instruments for hire, can provide a place for you to store your instrument and can advise you on private tuition if you’re interested. Find out more about getting involved with our ensembles, attending our concerts, or booking private tuition.
Join an ensemble
Participating in an ensemble is very rewarding and is made more so by our concerts and social activities. If you are interested in joining any of the ensembles below, please contact us for more information.
Our ensembles
If you're interested in playing jazz, funk, soul and blues, you can join our Big Band. The band has saxophone, trombone, trumpet and rhythm sections and plays in various venues, and at concerts and balls.
The University Choir is our largest group, numbering up to 120 singers each year. You'll usually perform twice a year in local venues, including in the Portsmouth cathedrals, and take part in the University Carol Service. Recent concerts included works such as Haydn's Nelson Mass and Handel's Messiah. We've also collaborated with other local choirs such as the Portsmouth Festival Choir.
Join our Concert Band and you'll get to play music from the stage and screen, pop songs from various decades and well-known classical pieces and folk songs. We welcome all woodwind and brass instruments as well as string bass, drums and percussion.
Ideally, you should play to grade 3 standard. But if you're a beginner and you're keen to develop your learning in a friendly, relaxed environment, you're also welcome.
If you play an instrument to grade 5 standard, you can join our University orchestra. If you're a wind player, you will be asked to take an informal audition at the beginning of the academic year due to a high demand for places. When you become a member of the orchestra, you'll take part in 3 performances a year.
The first performance is usually a shared concert with the University Concert Band, where you'll play music such as Dvorak's New World Symphony or Tchaikovsky's 6th. After Christmas we become a pit orchestra for our annual production with the Dramatic & Musical Society, and then usually in May we have a jamboree concert featuring all our ensembles.
Our concerts
We put on many concerts each year. If you’re a member of one of our ensembles, you’ll get the opportunity to perform to an audience of up to 600 at large venues in and around the city, such as the Portsmouth Guildhall or the New Theatre Royal.
If you’d like to book tickets to any of our events, you can do so through our online store. Some of our concerts book out far in advance, so make sure to book now to guarantee your seat.
Private tuition
The Music Department offers private tuition in a wide range of instruments, most commonly voice, piano, violin, clarinet, saxophone and music theory. Tuition costs in the region of £16-£20 per half hour depending on the teacher.
Starting a music group
To get in touch with musicians at the University, or start your own music group, you can use the notice boards in the Music Department, or contact the Music team for support.
Get in touch
When you contact us, please let us know:
- Your name and email address
- Whether you're not yet a student, a current student, a graduate, a member of staff or member of the wider community
- Whether you sing or play any instruments, an indication of your standard, and whether you have your instrument with you in Portsmouth
- What you are interested in getting involved in - attending concerts, big band, concert band choir, orchestra, private tuition, or practice rooms.
A member of the Music Department will contact you soon with further details.
Contact the Music department
If you’re interested in joining an ensemble, finding out about our future events, getting private tuition or you have any other questions, get in touch:
- music@port.ac.uk
- +44 (0)23 9284 3013
- White Swan Building, White Swan Rd, Portsmouth PO1 2DT
We're open Monday to Thursday 8.00am to 8.30pm and Friday 8.00am to 6.00pm.