Lorna Beckett BA Music
My highlights are definitely the performances I have done. I have been lucky enough to have performed Ben Oliver’s “Loop Concerto” with a professional jazz trio, played alongside the Daniel Herskedal Trio and played in Andrew Fisher’s new musical, Gabriel. All of these projects have aided my growth and confidence as a musician.
Why did you choose to come and study at Southampton?
I applied to Southampton because I loved the look of the course and how flexible it was. I also have family living nearby (in Portsmouth) so I was excited about being able to visit them more often.
What were you anxious about before coming to Southampton?
Before moving away from home, I was worried about making friends since nobody I knew was going to Southampton. I was also a little insecure about studying music as I was scared that everyone would be better than me.
My fears of not being able to make friends was overcome incredibly quickly as I was able to make friends both in my halls and on the music course pretty much straight away. The music course-related fears went away once I realised that there is always someone better and someone worse, and all you can do is do the best for yourself.
What is it like studying here?
Hands-down, my favourite thing about studying at Southampton is the relationship that students have with the lecturers here. I find all of the staff incredibly easy to talk to and get along with which provides us with an atmosphere of assurance and comfort within the course.
I also find all of the lecturers to be expertly knowledgeable in their field and they communicate this knowledge easily.
How do you rate study facilities at the University?
The main study facility used by music students is the Mac cluster, which I find incredibly useful, especially coming up to exam time where we need a smaller study space with the software we need. I enjoy being able to spend time on assignments with other music students as the atmosphere in this room is very chilled out for a study space.
What have been your Southampton highlights so far?
My top highlights of my time at Southampton are definitely the performances I have done. I have been lucky enough to have performed Ben Oliver’s “Loop Concerto” with a professional jazz trio, played alongside the Daniel Herskedal Trio and played in Andrew Fisher’s new musical, Gabriel. All of these projects have aided my growth and confidence as a musician.
How has your time at Southampton helped you to grow as a person?
Whilst being at university, the most notable change I have seen in myself is my growth in confidence and initiative. Preparing for various musical performances has given me the drive and motivation I need to succeed in life after graduating, and giving these performances has forced me to accept myself for who I am and be confident in my musical ability and what I can produce with dedication and hard work.
What are you enjoying most about your course?
I enjoy being given the opportunity to perform a lot of different music such as jazz, musical theatre and Baroque classical repertoire, alongside being able to have weekly instrumental lessons and really work on minute details within the way that I play.
Did you stay in University accommodation?
In my first year, I lived in Liberty Point, which is located near the city centre of Southampton. This was a good location for freshers’ week especially, as it is close to the main clubs and the city centre. Getting to and from campus wasn’t an issue either due to having a free bus pass for the year. The actual halls are really nice, with sofas in the kitchen and rooms with double beds and en-suites.
What is the city of Southampton like to live in?
Southampton is an extremely student-friendly city, with many different assets that appeal to people of different tastes. There are lots of clubs and pubs all over the city which you will come to be familiar with during fresher’s week, alongside many amazing restaurants, events at the students union (such as quiz and curry nights) and West Quay, which is one of the best places for shopping on the south coast.