Music

We want you to find your optimum music future. This is your chance to be the one who you want to be musically and to learn about the business, match your music with an audience and plan a working life playing music.

It has five main themes: music performance, creation, production, the music business and the context in which music happens. Average places available: Up to 35 each year.

Career prospects

We have sound links with the music industry and hold frequent in-house auditions and showcases for record and publishing companies. Our students have won many songwriting competitions. We also have our own record label and are featured in the music press. Our graduates have achieved chart success across the world, as writers, producers and performers.

Many have signed recording and publishing contracts. Career outcomes include working as session musicians, as music producers and as music writers for computer games and advert campaigns. In addition, you are eminently qualified to pursue careers within music education or within the wider world of business.

The Graduates

Many of our Music graduates have been instrumental in top ten hits across the world not just as performers but as writers and producers. Aside from The Wombats and Sandi Thom, Norwegian group Something Sally have been carving a name for themselves back home. Their debut album featured a duet with Joss Stone.

Stateside, Liam Lynch directed and co-wrote the music for Tenacious D movie The Pick Of Destiny. He was our first Music graduate to achieve top ten success with United States Of Whatever.

Many Music and Sound Technology students are signed with leading labels including Nude Records, Ninja Tune, Invicta Hi-fi, Counter Records and top jazz label Candid Records.

One of our groups from 2008 - Six Toys - got snapped up by Mark Ronson’s record label. Others are composing and arranging for film, TV and video games.

One of our graduates has worked for a number of years for George Lucas at Lucas Arts in San Francisco as a Staff Composer for STAR WARS video games.

Our graduates have also gone on to work alongside many world famous musicians: this may be as backing singers, instrumentalists (eg drums, keys, guitarists), songwriters, support groups or as their sound engineers (working on their albums in studios or on their live sound on tour).

The list of artists they have worked with covers just about every style of music and includes Britney Spears, Madonna, KT Tunstall, Beyonce, Simon Webbe, Guns N’ Roses, Daniel Beddingfield, Atomic Kitten, Stephen Fretwell, Sheryl Crow, KD Lang, Death Cab for Cutie, Take That, John Martyn and Jools Holland.

Year 1: Understanding The Fundamentals

You have weekly one-to-one tuition on your main instrument, masterclasses by visiting professionals, improvisation or a cappella classes, as well as specialist choirs and larger ensembles. You rehearse and perform in up to 35 small bands (rock, pop, creative, dance, RnB, jazz for instance).

There are several public and internal performances , including pit bands and orchestras for musical theatre and dance shows. You learn songwriting and composition, studio techniques and recording. You receive aural training, music scoring software training, Latin and African percussion and lyric writings.

You are introduced to business and self management and developments in the production and consumption of music in the last 50 years. At the end of the year, you apply all your skills in a professional setting.

Year 2: Skills Development And Application

You continue developing your instrumental skills at a more advanced level with the same range of classes and workshops. You can specialise in either applied composition, arranging or songwriting, responding to real industry situations.

Your knowledge of and skills in digital audio and production is expanded by using Pro-Tools and Logic.

You undertake an in-depth study of the music industry as well as cover the extra-musical aspects of music creation production and performance. Once again at the end of the year, your apply your skills in a professional setting.

Year 3: Specialisation And Professional Application

You undertake two major student-led projects from a choice of The Composer/Songwriter, The Producer or The Performer/Ensemble Performer.

You are expected to be working to a professional standard and will enjoy increased autonomy. You also complete a Final Research Paper on an aspect of music of particular interest to your craft and career.

We have sound links with the music industry and hold frequent in-house auditions and showcases for record and publishing companies. Our students have won many songwriting competitions. We also have our own record label and are featured in the music press. Our graduates have achieved chart success across the world, as writers, producers and performers. Many have signed recording and publishing contracts. Career outcomes include working as session musicians, as music producers and as music writers for computer games and advert campaigns. In addition, you are eminently qualified to pursue careers within music education or within the wider world of business.