Student-run Music Groups - Royal Holloway Student Intranet

Choose yours now

Explore what student-run music groups are being offered this coming academic year:

Conductors' Collective at Royal Holloway

ABOUT US

We are a group made up of students from all years and all subjects. We aim to create a fun, relaxed, and creative environment where we all get to learn conducting skills together. We work with ensembles and our members to make some awesome sounds! No matter how much experience you have, come and join us playing, singing, conducting, or all three!

How to get involved

When?	Sundays, 4.00pm - 6.00pm
Where?	Wettons Terrace Studio 0-04
How?	To join us as an instrumentalist or as a conductor, simply request to join our Facebook group (search 'RHUL Conductors’ Collective'), DM us on Instagram (@rhul_concoll) or email via conductorscollectiverhul@gmail.com.
Who?	conductorscollectiverhul@gmail.com

The Unheard Orchestra

ABOUT US

The Unheard Orchestra is an ensemble started in 2021 with the emphasis on playing music by marginalised composers and those not in the "Canon". This year we will be looking at multiple genres of music, from (Unheard) Film scores to (Unheard) popular music as well as collaborating with composers on campus. We are an unauditioned orchestra open to all musicians and are excited to explore some unheard music.

How to get involved

When?	Tuesdays, 8.00pm - 10.00pm
Where?	Wettons Annexe A
Who?	To join us, please email mae.watts.2022@live.rhul.ac.uk

Raven Opera Society

ABOUT US

The Raven Opera Company specialises in giving students and aspiring musicians the chance to engage with Opera in a supportive and engaging environment.

It's a Company with over 30 performers of all backgroundspassionate to learn and take part in opera. We hope to make opera inclusive to everyone, of all interests and abilities, providing a variety of platforms of performance from chorus performances or solo concerts.

How to get involved

When?	Fridays, 6.30pm - 9.00pm
Where?	Various
How?	The Raven Opera Company and Chamber Orchestra are auditioned groups with sign up at the House of Music Day and auditions taking place soon after welcome week at the start of term.
Who?	Instagram: @theravenoperacompany Email: theravenoperacompany@gmail.com

Royal Holloway Big Band, 'Undergraduated'

ABOUT US

Undergraduated Big Band is Royal Holloway’s auditioned, student-led jazz ensemble!

Rehearsals are held every Friday in the Boilerhouse Auditorium from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. We cover a varied repertoire, from traditional Big Band classics to modern jazz and funk fusions.

Performance opportunities are numerous, including concerts, smaller gigs, SU events and an overseas tour.
If you would like to get involved, please email us at undergraduatedbigbandrhul@gmail.com.

How to get involved

When?	Fridays, 6.30pm - 8.30pm
Where?	Boilerhouse Auditorium
How?	This group is auditioned, and news about how to sign-up will be broadcast throughout Welcome Week. In the meantime, drop us a message and say hi on Facebook (Search 'Royal Holloway Undergraduated Big Band') or on Instagram (@undergraduatedrhul)
Who?	undergraduatedbigbandrhul@gmail.com

Royal Holloway Brass Band

ABOUT US

Royal Holloway’s own brass band, rehearsing and performing a broad selection of music from traditional marches to more experimental modern repertoire, with some fan favourites along the way.

The musical events lined up for this year include Oktoberfest festivities, a joint ‘Heroes and Monsters’ concert with a local brass band, a Christmas concert with Jane Holloway Choir (alongside plenty of carolling), the annual UniBrass contest held in Sheffield and a tour to DisneyLand to finish the year! We promote versatility in the band, from encouraging brass quintets to seeing many brass players take on the challenge of learning different instruments within the ensemble, or even taking the rehearsal as conductor. We encourage all student and staff brass instrumentalists and percussionists of all levels, studying any course, to get in touch. We also love to throw in a social whenever possible, so join us for some musical bingo, SU nights, pub crawls, attending local brass band concerts or the essential post-UniBrass curry.

If you have any questions, or just fancy a chat, drop us a line and we would love to get to know you!

How to get involved

When?	Tuesdays, 6.00pm - 8.00pm
Where?	Windsor Building Auditorium
How?	Find our Facebook (Royal Holloway Brass Band), Instagram (@rhbrassband), or email (I know, call us old-fashioned) us at rhulbrassband@gmail.com or ZKWM092@live.rhul.ac.uk, or spot us at a MusSoc event.
Who?	rhulbrassband@gmail.com
Watch us	Watch our set at Unibrass 2020 here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9_1FDLdpCx1oVpDumD0D4HC-In_KORUL

Royal Holloway String Society

ABOUT US

Royal Holloway Strings Society is a new society, which launched at PLAY! Festival 2024. This society specialises in string instruments, primarily performing String Orchestra music.

Strings Society is also a collaborative society, providing opportunities for chamber music and solos with a string section. There are also opportunities for conductors and composers to get involved with this! We are an auditioned society but the audition will be very informal, just allowing us to get to know you better.

How to get involved

When?	Mondays, 7.00pm - 10.00pm
Where?	Boilerhouse Auditorium
How?	We will get in touch with you once you fill out the interest form here!
Who?	royalhollowaystringssociety@gmail.com or clarise.chong.2022@live.rhul.ac.uk
Watch us	Watch excerpts from our appearance in the 2024 PLAY! Festival: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrwuq85s08y_OyzkanDujpgWU3JS5AZwO&si=UJOtFZA3N_FqAORU

Royal Holloway Wind Orchestra

ABOUT US

"We are a brand new ensemble JAM PACKED with enthusiastic brass, woodwindand percussion players starting this year and we can’t wait to play our first concert! We have a wide range ofrepertoire planned including original works for wind band, film music,marches, musical theater and some orchestral works too!

We are very excited for our socials and fundraising events too! Busking, Bake Sales, MANY pub trips, club nights,Christmas caroling, and MORE (we are a brand new society so YOU get to decide!)

If you have any questions or want to join don’t hesitate to give us a message! We are a lovely welcoming bunch andare non-auditioned so welcome a variety of abilities and have a mix of music student and non-music student members."

How to get involved

When?	Mondays, 6.00pm - 8.00pm
Where?	Wettons Annexe A
How?	Get in touch via our socials link here → Royal Holloway Wind Orchestra OR email us at mailto:rhwindorchestra@gmail.com
Who?	mailto:rhwindorchestra@gmail.com

Voluntering & Community

Voluntering and working in the community is an important aspect of student experience at Royal Holloway.

Holloway Notes

ABOUT US

Holloway Notes is a volunteering community choir run by Royal Holloway students for adults with autism, social anxiety or learning disabilities. As a volunteer, you’d be attending our weekly sessions, singing along with our members and chatting to them to provide support! We sing a variety of songs, from the Beatles to Ed Sheeran, and don’t require you to have any previous singing experience - all we want is for you to have fun and enjoy our sessions! This year, we’ll be running in Wettons Annex A on Wednesdays from 2:30-3:30pm. If you’d like to join us, feel free to just show up on the day, no sign ups required.

If you have any questions though, please feel free to message us on our Instagram @hollowaynotes or send us an email: hollowaynotes@rhul.ac.uk

Student Union Music Societies

Royal Holloway also boasts a load of varied music societies run by our award-winning Student Union.

Absolute Harmony

ABOUT US

Welcome to the family! We are Absolute Harmony, Royal Holloway’s very own A Cappella vocal group and reigning Society of the Year!

We perform diverse, original arrangements of chart hits and classics alike! This year’s arrangements included artists like Hozier, Billy Ocean, Panic! At The Disco and Bon Jovi along with many more! Absolutely no experience is necessary and we perform in six parts: Soprano, Mezzo, Alto, Tenor, Bass and Beatbox. If you’re unsure of your vocal part, pop along and we’ll help you find where you belong!

Our smaller, auditioned choir Hardcore Harmony compete at national level, tackling extra technical arrangements and incorporating choreography into performances. Come and try out if you’re feeling enthusiastic!

As a society, we champion inclusivity and accessibility and we have garnered multiple awards for doing so! We love and celebrate one another unconditionally and we cannot wait to welcome you with open arms!

For more information or to join, please click here.

MTS: Music Theatre

ABOUT US

Welcome to Musical Theatre Society! Or MTS as we like to call it. We are a group of students with a mutual love of musical theatre, we welcome performers, musicians, crew members, those who just love musicals and everyone in-between!

Over the past 2 years, we have put on shows including Legally Blonde, Traitors: The Musical (a show our first years wrote and produced), High School Musical 2, Spelling Bee and Footloose to name a few. As well as putting on full scale productions, we also put on non-auditioned shows for everyone to enjoy, including our Summer Cabaret that takes place in Term Three!

This year you can take part in workshops to help you improve on your skills and learn new ones, enjoy socials, both musical and non-musical themed and meet lots of people with a shared love of theatre!

For more information or to join, please click here.

Reel Music

ABOUT US

Are you interested in music, filming or both? Then this is the society for you! Reel Music create music videos both on and off campus, whether you have experience in filming, editing, music or not we have regular workshops to teach everyone the skills they need to feel comfortable and confident in our activities. We have regular live lounge sessions, studio sessions, careers talks and fun socials from pub quizzes to concerts for you to join so there is plenty for everyone to get involved in. It is great fun, great experience and a great way to make new friends and gain new skills.

For more information or to join, please click here.

Royal Holloway DJ Society

ABOUT US

RHDJ is all about getting our members experience DJing. We'll cater to the bedroom DJ or the aspiring club DJ. Our focus is getting members comfortable and up to scratch playing out, no matter their previous experience.

We know that everyone likes their own genres and styles, so in our weekly meetings we'll focus on the technical skills so that when our members play out, they'll feel able to use their own song selection and techniques to please a crowd.

We're an inclusive community where people are able to share their love of all genres of music and to discover new ones. There's no pressure to play out in a club, but we'd love to get everyone to that standard.

For more information or to join, please click here.

Creative Arts

We are a collective of students, brand new for 2024, dedicated to connecting individuals from diverse creative backgrounds. The Creative Arts Society is your gateway to a vibrant community where your imagination can flourish without restrictions! Whether you're pursuing a creative degree, have a lifelong passion for the arts, or simply enjoy supporting from the sidelines, there’s a place for everyone here.

For more information or to join, please click here.

Don't forget

Please note that Voluntering groups and Student Union societies are organised, run and overseen by the Student Union and not the Department of Music, so would not count as a staff-led music group (if applicable).