If you’re applying to study ICMP’s BMus (Hons) Popular Music Performance (Guitar) course in 2022, you could have your entire three years of undergraduate tuition fees paid for thanks to The Ace Scholarship. 

The programme is one of four BMus scholarships aimed at supporting one student from each BMus discipline to achieve their best, knowing their tuition fee payments are taken care of during their ICMP performance studies. Both UK-based and international guitarists can apply, so why not give it a shot?

Play a different instrument?

We also have scholarships for other disciplines such as:

Applications close at midnight on Sunday 31 July 2022. 

ANY QUESTIONS?

If you have questions about our BMus Scholarships, or student life in general at ICMP, please don't hesitate to email our dedicated Admissions Team who will be happy to help.

You can also reach by by using Live Chat, or by calling +44 (0)20 7328 0222.

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The Ace Scholarship

Find out more about Ace

As guitarist and songwriter for acclaimed UK band Skunk Anansie, Ace’s music career has spanned almost three decades. Forming in 1994, the band has since sold more than six million physical albums, commanded millions of streams, performed countless sold out shows to millions of fans, and toured the world with bands and artists such as Muse, U2, Bon Jovi, Lenny Kravitz and Rammstein. In 2019, Skunk Anansie headlined Woodstock Festival Poland to a crowd of 700,000 and were inducted into the Kerrang! Hall of Fame. The band also has their own independent record label – Boogooyamma.

Ace’s personal career highlights include playing for Nelson Mandela at his 80th birthday ‘Gift to the Nation’ concerts, duetting with Luciano Pavarotti at a Tibetan benefit concert in Italy in front of the Dalai Lama, and headlining Glastonbury festival in 1999.

On top of his extensive recording and touring career, Ace is a Global Ambassador for The Roundtable Global Charity and involved in The Global Youth Awards. He holds an MA in Music Education from Middlesex University and has spent more than 25 years working in music education, collaborating with major institutions and music students across the UK and Europe.

Ace is also ICMP’s Head of Industry Partnerships and Business Development, where he develops and manages the institute’s brand partnerships, and the creative relationships for our international partner schools.

Ace of Skunk Anansie | BMus Guitar Scholarship

Am I eligible? 

To be eligible, you must:

Hold an offer of a place on ICMP's BMus Popular Music Performance programme - if not, you can apply here.

Meet all scholarship conditions

I’m honoured and delighted to partner with ICMP to award this scholarship. In an industry based around portfolio careers and multiple skillsets, ICMP aims to provide students with the tools to navigate the industry, while developing and nurturing their passion, talent, drive and focus. Excellence in education brings power in creativity and I’m totally behind this message!” 

- Ace, Skunk Anansie

How do I apply? 

 To apply, you must: 

  • Have been offered and accepted a place on our BMus Popular Music Performance programme - if not, you can request an audition here.
     
  • Submit a two-minute video introducing yourself as a guitarist and explaining what being awarded the scholarship would mean to you.
     
  • Submit a performance video of up to five minutes in length, showcasing your guitar talents. You can perform an original song, a cover version or play to a backing track. You can perform solo or accompanied, as long as you’re the main focus of the video.

Your submission video can be one combined piece of up to seven minutes in length, if you’d prefer.

How will applications be judged?

Your application will be judged by a panel of experts, including the scholarship ambassador, ICMP tutors and academic staff, and industry professionals. The decision of our panel is final.

Your submission will be assessed on the musical quality of your performance and not the quality of your video. That said, your film’s audio and visual quality must be of a standard that allows our assessment panel to properly assess your application. Videos recorded on your smartphone are fine, as long as the sound quality is clear and not distorted, and the picture quality is presentable.

Videos can be placed on third-party hosting sites, such as YouTube and Vimeo, etc., or uploaded to Google Drive, and the appropriate link provided with your submission.

Application Form