• Interest Survey: Start by creating a survey or interest form to see who on campus might want to join. Social media, group chats, and campus boards are great for promoting it.
• Hold Auditions (Optional): Decide if your group needs auditions. Some groups like choirs or jazz bands may benefit from auditions to ensure balance.
• Promote the Group: Use posters, social media, university email, and tabling at events to spread the word.

All student-run music groups require a faculty advisor to help with connections, resources, and rehearsal space. Please ensure that you loop in musicperformance@rhul.ac.uk and out;oine your plans and intentions for your group's activities. 

It is important that every student-run music group is managed efficiently. Each music group should have a committee to ensure the smooth running of rehearsals and events. 

• Roles: Designate roles like General Manager (essential), Stage Manager (recommended), Treasurer (recommended), Marketing & Social Media Coordinator (optional), Event Producer (recommended), and Tour Manager (optional; if applicable). These roles are in addition to the group's Director or Conductor. 
• Leadership Meetings: Hold occasional leadership meetings to check in on plans and logistics.
• Keep the conversation open: Please ensure that you loop in musicperformance@rhul.ac.uk and out;oine your plans and intentions for your group's activities. 

Student-run music groups are financially independent and are responsible for their own finances. There are several ways in which student music groups can source funding:

• Student Opportunities Fund: Got a great idea for something that could improve student experience? The Student Opportunities Fund could provide between £100 and £3,000 to support you! Full information can be found here (link embedded). 
• Ticket sales: Events organised through the Music Performance Office means that your music group will recieve the Net Sales from your ticket sales.
• Fundraisers: Plan fun fundraisers, like small performances, to raise funds for sheet music, instruments, or other expenses.
• Member Dues (Optional): This is not a recomended form of raising funds, as we want all of our music groups to be accessible to all. However, some groups ask members for small dues to fund external opportunities or invited artists/guests. 

• Reserve a Space: Book a consistent rehearsal space by emailing musicperformance@rhul.ac.uk in the September of a given academic year. Ad hoc bookings are possible, but availability will be very limited. 
• Regular Rehearsals: Set up a regular rehearsal schedule that works for most members, and is confirmed by musicperformance@rhul.ac.uk.
• Performance Calendar: Plan potential performance dates and types (e.g., end-of-term concert, campus events, off-campus or outreach events).

• Choose Music: Select pieces or songs that fit your group’s skill level and the group’s vibe.
• Sheet music & arrangements: Decide if you’ll purchase music, find public domain scores, or do your own arrangements. musicperformance@rhul.ac.uk may be able to assist with the printing of music, so please get in touch if you have any queries. 
• Digital Folder: Use a shared online folder for easy access to sheet music, recordings, and practice tools.

We strongly encourage student initiative and for music ensembles to host their own individual music events on campus. 

• On-Campus Events: Collaborate with other student groups or departments to perform at campus events, The Platform, to student fairs.
• Off-Campus Gigs: Contact local cafes or bars, churches and venues, or community events to expand your group’s audience.

For full information on how to plan your own music event at Royal Holloway, please visit this dedicated website (link embedded). 

• Social Events: Organise casual hangouts or group dinners to build camaraderie.
• Feedback Sessions: Hold feedback sessions at the end of each semester to gather members’ thoughts on what’s working and what could improve.

• Attendance Tracking: All student music groups require to log attendance. Students may be using your music group as part of their activity remit for a music performance module, in which case we ask for students to have an attendance of 80% or more.Therefore if you have 18 rehearsals over the course of term1 and 2, students will need to attend at least 14 rehearsals. If students' attendance falls below 80%, it is at the discretion of the module convenors as to whether they include this as part of their assessed remit. Module convenors often contact student music groups to survey attendance monitoring, so it is important that this is done.
• Budget Management: Keep track of all expenses and funding in a simple spreadsheet.
• Documentation: Keep notes from meetings, set goals, and document procedures for future leadership to ensure smooth transitions.

• Annual Review: At the end of the year, review the group’s achievements, challenges, and goals. Consider changing up the repertoire, expanding membership, or doing a new type of performance.
• Recruit New Leaders: Near the end of the academic year, start identifying members who could step into leadership roles. Perhaps you might run an application or interview process?
• Transition Plan: Make a transition document to pass on essential information, so the group stays active after current leaders graduate.