The Duke Special's Peter Wilson, Catherine Anne Davies (aka The Anchoress) and jazz singer songwriter Anjali Perin were among the top industry professionals to host career events for ICMP’s Masters in Songwriting students.
Taking place over both the first and second semester of the 2020-21 academic year, the programme saw alumni, tutors and industry success stories offer insight and advice into sustaining successful music industry careers.
Songwriting entrepreneur Ed Bell and Aaron Slater, founder of Songwriting Magazine, were also among the guests, demonstrating the various ways in which ICMP alumni can enter the industry after their studies and forge their own professional paths.
Commenting, Anjali Perin said: "The purpose of the extracurricular sessions was to invite a range and breadth of experience from industry professionals and alumni to really show life in songwriting in different forms, formats and approaches."
We aimed to provide a real-world perspective on how songwriting looks in terms of people’s workflow within their very different lives and commitments alongside how their experiences have moulded their own individual and professional journeys."
She continued: “Importantly, it shows how one can direct and set one’s own goals based on what resonates for each of us, but also be fully empowered to divert from those objectives if inspired to do something differently.
“The highlight for me was really seeing that from such a diverse range of guests there were certain commonalities that really showed the students a process of inspiration, self-enquiry, craft and a clear sense of commitment and rigour to getting the best out of oneself as an artist or music-related professional.”
According to Anjali, the Masters should be seen as a springboard to greater exploration and opportunity, something which does not end when the course finishes. Instead, the learnings in these sessions can influence and inspire students throughout their careers.
“All the guests have brought their own spin on things, a little bit of their own “life philosophy” and how that feeds into their work. But also their humility and honesty to show their processes, struggles and successes also remind us how it’s important to stay open and exploring, no matter the level of experience or “success” one has achieved."
Everyone has quantified their wins in different ways, and it’s great for students to see that diversity so they can better work out what works for them individually."
Damien Jones was among the MA in Songwriting students who attended the sessions.
He said: "The Masters programme has offered some great extra curricular workshops and masterclasses covering a wide range of topics and were presented by an interesting mix of guests. We had successful commercial songwriters, more indie flavoured writers, songwriting book authors, people working in the theatre world and much more.
"The variety meant that there was something for everyone over the 12 weeks but all of them were able to give insights into their fields and gave us plenty of opportunities to ask questions."
The full list of guests is below:
Creative coaching | Sophie Daniels | MASW PL
Major Repertoire Projects | Hannah Rose Platt | MASW Alumna
Major Repertoire Project | Corrina Taylor | MASW Alumna
Creative coaching | Mo Cohen and Sophie Daniels | MASW Alumni
Major Repertoire Projects | Luke Toms and Thiago Trosso | MASW Alumni
SW careers | Bonnie Baker | Nashville Pop Writer / Producer
SW careers | Gerrard O’Connell | UK Pop Writer / Producer
Major Repertoire Projects | Peter Highland & David Boyden | MASW Alumni
Major Repertoire Projects | Katherine Moynihan & Joshua Satchell | MASW Alumni
SW Careers | Dr Polly Paulsuma, PhD SW, tutor, signed career SW artist | Folk song creation and research
SW careers | Tim Elsenburg, aka Sweet Billy Pilgrim | Artistic Songwriting
SW careers | Reveal Poison | Hip Hop creation and researcher, teacher and community based educational based project
SW careers | Julian Blackmore | Musical Theatre and Film/TV Composer
SW careers | Dr Catherine Anne Davies | Writer/ Producer/Journalist/Multi-Instrumentalist/Researcher
Alexander Technique | Jane Gregory
SW careers | Anjali Perin | Jazz singer-songwriter
SW careers | Peter Wilson aka Duke Special | Singer / Songwriter, Theatre Writer, PhD in SW, SW Tutor
SW careers | Professor Andy West, Head of PG study at LCM | Staff writer Nashville, PhD in SW, Masters Leader, Wrote ‘The Art Of SW’ our set text
SW careers | Aaron Slater | Founder/Songwriting Magazine
SW careers | Ed Bell | Theatre Songwriter
Write songs that last for generations
A great song can become truly timeless, remembered for generations as part of the world’s cultural legacy. Whether you want to craft a killer melody or pen poetic lyrics, our tutors will teach you everything you want to know, including all the production, performance, professional and entrepreneurial skills needed to ensure that your unique creations get the recognition they deserve. You’ll also benefit from A&R-style critique sessions, collaborative opportunities, access to fully equipped live rooms, recording studios and tech suites, and a community of inspiring contacts and friends.
To catapult your songwriting and music career to a whole new level, email our friendly Admissions Team at enquiries@icmp.ac.uk or give them a call on 020 7328 0222.
Songwriting courses
A great song can become truly timeless, remembered for generations as part of the world’s cultural legacy. Whether you want to craft a killer melody or pen poetic lyrics, our tutors will teach you everything you want to know, including all the production, performance, professional and entrepreneurial skills needed to ensure that your unique creations get the recognition they deserve. You’ll also benefit from A&R-style critique sessions, collaborative opportunities, access to fully equipped live rooms, recording studios and tech suites, and a community of inspiring contacts and friends.
To catapult your songwriting and music career to a whole new level, email our friendly Admissions Team at enquiries@icmp.ac.uk or give them a call on 020 7328 0222.