The Hammond BA Hons Degree Musical Theatre course

[kzgirl]

The degree course at the Hammond which appears to be attached to the Uni of Chester seems to be a new degree course. Anyone know anything about this course? The students attend the Hammond which is a performing arts college. Do the students get the same tuition/opportunities as the students on the musical theatre diploma course.

[bop2thetop]

Hi kzgirl, I would be very interested to know this too. My DS has applied here, but we havent had anything come through about an audition yet. Are there any Hammond parents or students that can help with this query? Id also like to know if the Degree students live in halls at the Uni or the accomodation that the other Hammond students live at. Thanks very much for any advice.

[kzgirl]

Hi bop2thetop
What accommodation does The Hammond have?

[bop2thetop]

Hi bop2thetop
What accommodation does The Hammond have?

From what i understand the pupils at The Hammond stay in lodgings near to the school. I dont know if this is the same for the Degree students or whether they stay in the Uni accomodation which is also quite close. *I think* but im not sure. I guess we'll find out when DS goes for his audition.

[2dancersmum]

Hammond diploma students live either with landladies (compulsorary for under 18s) or in shared houses. Hammond gives out a list of properties/landords they have vetted. I believe that the students for the BA Honours course can source their accommodation through the university.

The course is only in its 2nd year and my DD graduated just before the first cohort of students started on this new course. From what I have heard, most of the practical aspects - ie dance, singing, acting is taught at the Hammond but it is separate to the mt diploma course. The students have their own common room at Hammond and they have their own productions , certainly at the end of the year there are 3 productions - one for mt, one for dance and one for degree students, though the dance one I saw last year had a few degree students providing the vocals for dance numbers. I have no idea how things work for the whole school productions or for the academic side of the degree.

[RosaMac]

The degree course is mainly acting/singing with a very small amount of dance and of course their academic studies. They also have less contact hours than the diplomas. The Mt diplomas do mainly dance/singing and less acting. The auditions are separate and very different for the diploma and degree courses. Most other colleges who offer degree and diploma have the same audition for both and follow almost the same course apart from the academic studies part.

[kzgirl]

Bop2thetop has your son had his audition date through yet for the Hammond?

[kzgirl]

The degree course is mainly acting/singing with a very small amount of dance and of course their academic studies. They also have less contact hours than the diplomas. The Mt diplomas do mainly dance/singing and less acting. The auditions are separate and very different for the diploma and degree courses. Most other colleges who offer degree and diploma have the same audition for both and follow almost the same course apart from the academic studies part.

I wonder why the degree course is different, I was thinking because the Hammond is a performing arts college that the degree would be more singing and dance based. I am so amazed that each Uni is saying 'we are doing a Musical Theatre degree' but the courses are so different. My interpretation of musical theatre is singing and dancing not acting and singing.

[2dancersmum]

I am surprised to hear that the MT diploma course is more dance/singing and less acting as its not the impression I got. The first year on the diploma course at Hammond is a common year with up to 40 students and then they split into dance or mt for years 2 and 3. Although my DD was on the dance thread I was under the impression that the MT course was pretty much triple threat with an equal spread of subjects.

Auditions for degree or diploma are held separately but I am not sure that the content of them are very different. All require dance sections, monologues and vocal solos and are done in front of a panel of the senior teachers.

Contact hours for the degree course at Hammond are certainly less than for the diploma courses. Diploma students are generally there from 9am until 6pm (earliest finish). Very little time is devoted to the academic side of the diploma in the working day - a hour or two a week at most? Most of the academic study for the diploma is done in by the student in their own time in the form of projects /assignments. The level 6 trinity diploma is approx. 25% academic and the degree will obviously be more than this and is obviously in partnership with the university so the teaching methods - lectures. workshops etc are very different

Another thing to remember for why the degree course is so separate is perhaps the fact that the Hammond is a performing arts school. It takes pupils from year 7 and there is a school on site for younger pupils too. Some of the diploma students will be taking A levels alongside their diploma and a level slots are part of the daily timetable for the diploma students. My DD went at 16 and took 2 A levels. Students starting the diploma courses post a level will generally do a pilates course or Zumba in the a level slots instead.

[bop2thetop]

Bop2thetop has your son had his audition date through yet for the Hammond?

Hi Kzgirl, No we havent had anything through yet. He sent his UCAS off at the end of November and we've heard from everywhere else. I emailed The Hammond yesterday to check they've received his application.

Thanks so much Rosamar and 2dancersmum for all this information that sounds very interesting. I did email them before my son applied and they told me it was a course more for Singer/Actors supported by Dance which would suit my son but that wouldnt suit other people as much obvioulsy.

[bop2thetop]

Update: My sons application is there - its in the "screening process" so they obvioulsy dont see everyone that applies. Which to be honest is fairer than taking money off people who wouldnt get in anyway.

[kzgirl]

Update: My sons application is there - its in the "screening process" so they obvioulsy dont see everyone that applies. Which to be honest is fairer than taking money off people who wouldnt get in anyway.

My DD was offered her audition date on Monday of this week for the end of January 2017. Hope your son hears about his very soon. DD has had an email to say no audition fee.

[bop2thetop]

Update: My sons application is there - its in the "screening process" so they obvioulsy dont see everyone that applies. Which to be honest is fairer than taking money off people who wouldnt get in anyway.

My DD was offered her audition date on Monday of this week for the end of January 2017. Hope your son hears about his very soon. DD has had an email to say no audition fee.

Thank you kgirl. I hope they will want to see him. He struggles with the academic side of things so that might be an issue. If they see him I feel sure they'd like him though. We will have to see. And that's very interesting about no audition fee. I've never known that before so that's amazing. Wishing your DD the very best of luck for her audition. Please keep us posted

[kzgirl]

Update: My sons application is there - its in the "screening process" so they obvioulsy dont see everyone that applies. Which to be honest is fairer than taking money off people who wouldnt get in anyway.

My DD was offered her audition date on Monday of this week for the end of January 2017. Hope your son hears about his very soon. DD has had an email to say no audition fee.

Thank you kgirl. I hope they will want to see him. He struggles with the academic side of things so that might be an issue. If they see him I feel sure they'd like him though. We will have to see. And that's very interesting about no audition fee. I've never known that before so that's amazing. Wishing your DD the very best of luck for her audition. Please keep us posted

I thought it was strange that there was no audition fee, we have had two Uniiversities out of the five not need any audition fee, I do think it is just a money making adventure for the Uni though, I think I will get DD to show me the email to make sure.