ICMP's Careers and Industry Hub is connected to major record labels, publishers, promoters and management companies active in London, Leeds, Liverpool and the wider music industry.
Run by a team of music industry professionals and experienced careers counsellors, the team are on hand from day one to support you in taking your first steps towards a career in the music industry or wider creative industries. Core activities include:
- Providing a range of exclusive events throughout the year to give you the opportunity to meet industry professionals, gain advice and insight and build that essential network of contacts
- Organising tailored audition and showcase opportunities with the biggest industry names such as Sony/ATV Publishing, RCA, BBC, Virgin EMI Records, Island, Columbia and Universal
- Developing bespoke career plans for students and providing A&R and professional development advice
- Advertising work experience opportunities and placements and developing your employability skills such as making applications, CV development and interview preparation
- Hosting interactive events featuring leading industry professionals
- Providing you with support, guidance and access to opportunities after you graduate
The team organises an annual Careers Day featuring workshops and sessions with leading industry professionals and representatives from the likes of Warner/Chappell Music, Kilimanjaro and Killing Moon Records. Each year, we also organise networking and specialist Q+A events which provide opportunities for students to meet and receive direct feedback from industry professionals. Recent guests have included representatives from:
Within six months of graduating more than 94% of ICMP students are in employment or further education and earn an average salary of £24,000, £5,000 higher than other UK music students.**
*DLHE • Employment of Leavers Survey - UK domiciled undergraduate leavers 2016/17 | ** DLHE 2017
Meet our Careers and Industry Liaison team
James Brister Artist Development Manager
James is an experienced and well-connected artist manager and co-owner/founder of Amour Music. He has experience in developing artists and musicians, with his acts being playlisted on national radio, touring the UK, Australia, mainland Europe and China, as well as facilitating endorsements and partnerships with major international brands such as Universal Music Publishing, BMG Music, Notting Hill Publishing and many more. At ICMP, James provides guidance to students on artist and talent development, release strategies, marketing your music and building your profile as a professional.
Meet our industry coaches
Gaining the latest industry insight from professionals who are building success at the highest level gives you a real advantage when you’re looking to launch your career. You can request sessions with our Industry Mentor team of successful alumni and industry connections via our Careers+ platform.
Carla is a singer/songwriter from London. In 2017 her collaboration with MK on the single ‘17’ gained her much acclaim, as it went on to become a smash hit, peaking at number 7 in the UK official chart and achieving platinum sales status. Carla continues to be in demand, writing and collaborating with a number of artists and producers including Julia Michaels, TMS, Oliver Heldens, Meduza, Georgio Tuinfort (David Guetta) and Sigala, to name a few.
Jazz Rocket is an artist, producer, songwriter manager and A&R consultant based in London. As a boutique music management operation representing a stable of talent across the UK and Nordic regions, the objective of 67 Artists is to provide a hands on, day to day management with a family feel while achieving success around the world. With hundreds of millions of streams between them, the rostered artists have appeared on records across multiple genres for musicians including David Guetta, Joel Corry, Bryson Tiller, Ashnikko, Disciples, Sonny Fodera, Cheat Codes, You Me At Six, Lost Kings, Grey, Au/Ra, NoNo, Baby Tate, 23 Unofficial, Cassyette, Camden Cox, All American Rejects, Dombresky, Kid Brunswick, Leftwing : Kody, Jamie Jones, Connie Constance and many more.
Dave is the owner and founder of club and college marketing company Wild Promotions and is currently working on a range of acts as diverse as Muse, London Grammar, Chase & Status, Royal Blood, Ella Eyre and Bat For Lashes. He was previously General Manager at Sony-funded Nude Records and has a wealth of experience in marketing, artist management and A&R, including signing The Stone Roses to FM Revolver Records. At ICMP, Dave provides guidance on artist and talent development, release strategies, marketing your music and building your profile.
Throughout her career Hannah has performed on some of the biggest stages, including events such as the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 2012 London Olympics and the National Television Awards. She has collaborated with a number of artists including Lizzo and Rina Sawayama, and has been a drummer for Emeli Sande.
Izzy Chase has been singing professionally for more than a decade and has recently worked as a backing singer for Dua Lipa, Ministry of Sound and Trevor Horn. Although London-based, Izzy has worked all over the world with artists like Ellie Goulding, Beverley Knight, Seal, Craig David, Michael Ball, Alfie Boe, Kim Wilde and more. She not only works as a live backing singer but also as a session vocalist on albums, adverts, vocal arrangements and features.
Clare Everson | Industry Coach: Sync for Music Film/TV/Games
Claire works in the sync department at Universal Music Publishing and was recognised on the 2020 Music Industry Alternative Power 100 List. You can book a session with Claire via the Appointments section of Careers+.
Empowering our neurodiverse and disabled student community
We are delighted to be partnering with EmployAbility to provide a full range of services and resources for our neurodiverse and disabled student community. Our partnership commitment is to provide free, individualised support – tailored to the needs of every student – and empower them to achieve the careers they deserve.
Industry auditions
We are continuously reaching out and making connections with industry contacts in order to provide you with audition opportunities. We have previously held auditions with the likes of Sony Music, Q Prime Management, Red Light Management, Island Records, September Management, BBC and ITV.
A&R advice
The team are always on hand to offer you advice and expertise on topics such as song development, planning and strategy and marketing and promotion. You will also have the opportunity to book one-to-one appointments with our visiting music industry advisers.
Work experience
The team provides access to a wide range of part-time and full-time work and performance opportunities including roles with labels, publishers and management companies, through to marketing and PR agencies, studios, and some of the biggest manufacturers in the music business. We are also able to support you with job searches and online job applications, CV development and preparation for interviews.
Industry events
Each academic year, the team organises a series of interactive Q&A sessions, giving students a unique opportunity to receive advice from leading industry professionals. Recent sessions have focused on ‘Why, When & How to Gig’; ‘How to Find an Internship in the Music Industry’; ‘Manager, Label Publisher: An Artist’s Journey’ and ‘How to Build Your Online Presence’.
Mentoring
We offer individualised advice to students and alumni on building a career in music. Whether you’re looking for artist development support, or want advice on getting gigs, raising your profile as a musician, searching for work as a teacher or exploring roles within the business side of music, our team is on hand to help.
CLASSES
Our Music Careers and Industry team work closely with our Education team to ensure your studies are supported by dedicated careers and skills planning. This means you are well placed to find work in the industry once you’ve graduated. Bespoke skills workshops and industry guest sessions are all part of your programme to create the link between the classroom, industry and your future career.