Welcome to the website for the University of Lancaster Music Society, better known as ULMS! We’re a friendly and inclusive society and welcome anyone with an interest in playing and performing music.
Overview
We have seven major ensembles, six of which rehearse weekly, various ‘small groups’, and even offer music lessons.
Any member of ULMS can join any of the main ensembles without need of an audition.
Small groups organise themselves and run subject to demand. If there’s a small group that we don’t have and you want to start, our Small Groups Rep can help you make it a reality. For more information about small groups, please see the Small Groups page.
We also run a music teaching programme called Project Teach Music (PTM), through which members of the society provide instrumental and vocal tuition to other students.. For more information about receiving or teaching lessons, please see the PTM page.
Besides the music, we also run various socials throughout the year. From our traditional annual socials, such as the Carolling Bar Crawl, we also run games nights and film nights for a more chilled out vibe. We also have an annual Winter Ball and Summer Ball for a chance to dress up and have a classy night with friends!
We additionally have a small number of instruments available for you to use if you haven’t brought your own to uni or want to try out something new.
How it started…
ULMS was started by Professor Roger Bray when he arrived as Head of the Music Department in 1979 to enhance the opportunities for performance and administrative experience. The orchestra was started in 1982 to allow opportunities for student composers and conductors. Despite the closure of the university’s Music Department in 2015, ULMS continues to sustain a musical presence on campus, with a calendar packed with concerts, competitions and collaborations with fellow societies
Memberships
Membership is open to all members of Lancaster University and its associated colleges and environs. Membership costs for the upcoming year will be £18.
Your membership entitles you to play in any of our ensembles, all socials, access to all our society concerts for free, and more.
If you want to join us, you can sign up at fresher’s fair, or if it’s later in the year you can email our Secretary.