Alexandra Giller
Melbourne - Double Bass
I am a first year student at the Faculty of Music and I gained entry straight out of school. When I finish my studies I hope to become an orchestral player, ideally in one of the major international orchestras. Perhaps that’s not realistic, but why not aim high?
I decided that I wanted to take my music to a tertiary level while in Year Ten at school. After looking at a wide range of courses, I settled on the University of Melbourne Faculty of Music as my first choice. The Faculty offers a comparatively academic degree, so there’s lots of writing as well as practical work. This academic approach combined with a great enthusiasm for the environment and course displayed by both students and academic staff is mainly what made me choose the Faculty of Music.
One of my favourite things about the course is that the Melbourne Model allows me to pursue my interests other than music while still doing a Bachelor of Music. This means that I don’t have to temporarily neglect my interest in history, geography, weather and the lithosphere but I can still concentrate on my music. One of the other enjoyable points of the course is the constant offer of new challenges. Whether that means getting your work done on time, understanding new concepts or even making friends, there’s always something different to have a go at.
The lecturers and tutors I’ve encountered so far have been another great thing about this course. From the tutors we see every week and get to know fairly well, to the guest lecturers we see for an hour, the knowledge on offer from these people is just phenomenal. Each lecturer or tutor has their own little habits and quirks that you get to know in fairly short order, whether it’s their calm approach, wicked sense of humour or habit of performing centuries old chant on a regular basis. The lecturers are what make the course as fascinating as it is. Student life provides a lot of opportunities, but one of the best things about it is the social aspect. Since music is a comparatively small course, the Conservatorium is really tight little community where most people know most other people. You certainly get to know just about everyone in your own year. When we’re not practising or studying we’re ‘going for coffee’ at one of the multitude of cafés around the campus or hanging out on South Lawn, around Union House or on the red sofas in the foyer. Even practice can turn into a social event if you’re not careful. It’s not uncommon for people to find a practice room with a friend and kill time showing off to each other or jamming out a piece for the fun of it.
I live with my parents in the outer east. It can be a bit of a hassle trying to get my bass to and from university since I can’t take it on public transport. I have to leave home very early, regardless of when my classes start that day, just so that I can get a place in the car park. On the upside, I’ve got somewhere quiet where I can escape from the social whirl. It’s also considerably cheaper than either a college or a student flat. Melbourne’s a great place to live. It doesn’t matter whereabouts in the city you live, you’re never far away from necessary facilities and there’ll be something going on near you. It’s also easy to get from place to place. In the inner city in particular, public transport is everywhere so you can get to most places without too much problem. The CBD is great because it’s big enough that you’re constantly finding new things (I’ve lived in Melbourne my whole life and I’m still finding new streets, shops and cafes) but small enough that it’s all within walking distance.
From the point of view of a music student, Melbourne is a great place to be because of the arts scene. Between the MSO, the Australian Ballet, the International Jazz Festival, the Fringe Festival and the musicals that come and go at a rapid rate, there’s always something new and different to go and see. For someone planning to study at the Faculty of Music, I would say that organisation is the most important skill to learn before you get here. You need to be organised enough to be able to fit in classes, practice, instrumental lessons. Once you’ve got an assignment, that’s it. You’re expected to do it and hand it in on the due date. No one cares if you’ve got major assignments in every other subject as well. That’s your problem and it’s up to you to deal with it. Balance, on the other hand, is important because if you spend every waking moment of the day working, you’ll be completely insane by the end of first term. It’s vital to make sure you’ve got a bit of time to spend on yourself, whether by yourself or with your friends, every day. Make sure you also factor in some sleep. I know that sounds silly, but people don’t always and it always comes back to bite them.