Outrage as Cardiff university announces plans to axe music department

30 January 2025, 12:21 | Updated: 30 January 2025, 13:16

Cardiff University announced the shock cuts earlier this week, leading to an outpouring of criticism.
Cardiff University announced the shock cuts earlier this week, leading to an outpouring of criticism. Picture: Alamy

By Will Padfield

The Welsh university where Sir Karl Jenkins studied music announced its plans as part of a scheme to save money.

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Cardiff University has announced that it plans to close its music department in an attempt to save money.

Earlier this week, the university announced several changes to its operations, including ceasing programmes in music, ancient history, modern languages and translation, nursing, and religion and theology.

The move has been met with widespread condemnation as people have considered what the implications of this move will be. One of the most prestigious universities in the United Kingdom, Cardiff University has a long and rich history, producing some of the finest ambassadors for Welsh culture for over a century.

The university has schooled several highly prominent musicians, including composers Grace Williams, Philip Cashian and Sir Karl Jenkins, the famous composer of Adiemus and The Armed Man.

Read more: What makes ‘Benedictus’ from The Armed Man so haunting? Sir Karl Jenkins explains

Welsh composer Karl Jenkins.
Welsh composer Karl Jenkins. Picture: Alamy

Academics, union representatives and students expressed their alarm and dismay at the scale of the cuts, which were announced at staff meetings on Tuesday.

The University and College Union described the reductions as “cruel” and said they would harm teachers not only at Cardiff, but across the country.

The Guardian reported that the university had an operating deficit of £31.2m in 2023-24, its international student applications were “plummeting”, and it would “run out of cash in four years” if it carried on as it was.