Modern music degrees strike a chord with students

You were in a band at school. You'd love a career in music. You're allergic to Mozart. Considered a degree in modern music?
Music class at Bimm
Modern music is taken seriously at Bimm. Photograph: Rosie Wadley

Modern music degrees strike a chord with students


Katy B, the Kooks and James Blake may sound pretty different, but they do have one thing in common: they all studied modern music at university.

Despite the widely held assumption that rockers are a bunch of sporadically inspired layabouts and pop stars are pre-packaged dancing queens, a surprising number of musicians on the world stage found fame by keeping their heads down, studying hard and listening to their tutors.

But what exactly do you learn if you do a degree in modern music?

Students find out a lot about a rapidly changing music industry, learn about the history of contemporary music styles, and develop a head for business, crucial if you don't want to make your money busking in a station at midnight.

"They're very competitive courses," says Kelly Wood, live performance official at the Musicians Union. "They're adapting to the needs of the industry. Degrees are focusing more on the business side than the creative side, and help people understand the supporting roles."

Wood encourages young musicians to think carefully before signing up: "Suitable students need to be interested in the workings of the industry. If all they're interested in is releasing their own albums, maybe a degree isn't right for them. The cost is high, so you should weigh it up."

Jake Shillingford, head of Music Business at the Brighton Institute of Modern Music (Bimm), and one-time frontman of Britpop band My Life Story, says the school insists tutors have had successful careers themselves.

"It's essential that tutors have an ongoing real-world experience that they can bring into the classroom," he says.

Bimm, founded in 2001 by a group of industry stalwarts, already boasts a host of successful alumni. Ben Thompson, drummer for the chart-topping indie band Two Door Cinema Club, is a recent example. He took a professional diploma in musical performance at Bimm in 2010, but ended up finishing his course on tour after getting an audition for the band through the college's networks.

Since then, he says, he has played "nearly every big TV show, festival and venue in the entire world. There isn't much more any musician can ask than that."

Fellow Bimm alumnus Charlie McClean did a BA in professional musicianship and got a job as an assistant recording engineer soon after graduating: "Yesterday I was in the studio playing cello for the new One Direction single, and I've done some work on the new Susan Boyle record too. I remember sitting there thinking how did I get here? It's just incredible."

Sarah Kerton, who completed a popular music and recording BA at the University of Salford, says her degree has been "the force behind my achievements both musically and academically".

She went on to study a masters and is a published academic, but she is still in an all-grrrl punk band called Awesome Wells, which plays throughout Europe.

"Vocational degrees such as mine come with a wealth of contacts, opportunities and chances to really chase your dreams, and every young person should be able to do that," she says.

The University of Chichester also runs successful commercial music and music business degrees. Head of music Ben Hall is proud of the diversity generated by having modern music courses.

His department has the highest proportion of students from lower income groups at the university and he says that's because they do rock and pop – styles that feel accessible to musicians who haven't received costly one-to-one tuition. Everyone who applies is auditioned – which means students just need to demonstrate raw talent to get a place.

"We have rockers, beatboxers… even if death metal is your thing then we'll welcome you with open arms," Hall says. "What all the musicians have in common is that they are bloody determined to be musicians – this is as true of a rock drummer as it is a trombonist."

The modern music courses at Chichester are also geared up to help students make a living from their trade. "All our commercial music students learn how to give lessons in their style," says Hall. "So if you're a funk saxophonist, you'll learn how to teach an eight-year-old. You'll always be able to make a living."

One young musician hoping her guitar BA will lead to a successful career is Soph Nathan, who plays in the band Hella Better Dancer and has just begun her first term at Bimm: "Studying a music degree gives me the opportunity to learn about lots of different styles of music and how to play them. That could help me a lot in the future if I go on to do session work."

As for the "rock 'n' roll" atmosphere at the college, Nathan says: "It's great to be in an environment where everyone around you has the same passion. I've felt excited after learning things in most of my lessons so far, so that's a good sign."

Don't miss a live Q&A with industry experts about earning a living through music, on the Guardian Careers site on 8 November from 1-3pm.

This article was amended on 31 Oct 2012. The article originally referred to the drummer in Two Door Cinema Club as Ben Thomas. This has now been corrected to Ben Thompson.