ICMP hosts Songwriting Camp with alumni and top music industry professionals

ICMP hosted a Songwriting Camp with students from our BA Songwriting, BA Creative Musicianship, BA Creative Music Production, and MA Songwriting programmes all coming together to collaborate. 

Organised over the course of two days, 18 ICMP students and two alumni worked in groups and responded to live songwriting briefs. 

Participants spent the first day devising and writing initial ideas, supported by Adriano Buffone from our faculty and guest Caitlyn Scarlett. At the end of the first day, groups shared their initial ideas and gathered feedback. 

On the second day, participants used ICMP’s studios at Queen's Park and Kilburn to refine and record their songs. All of the participants then gathered together to hear the five songs they had written and receive feedback from Industry Liason James Brister and special guest and alumna Victoria Becks from Matter Music. 

Victoria then shared some insight into her career and the stories behind some of the tracks she has published and worked on. 

Shane Beales, ICMP’s BA Songwriting Programme Leader, said:

​It was so great to gather students and alumni from across the portfolio for a fun and high-energy writing camp utilising our world class faculty, guests, and facilities." 

"Everyone threw themselves into collaborating with new people and working outside of their comfort zones to explore new styles and ways of writing. We were indebted to have our Adj and Caitlin on hand to offer real world experience and support; and thanks to Victoria Becks for imparting such valuable wisdom and feedback. My thanks to James Brister and Lisa Wadham for their support with the event, can't wait till the next one!"

Caitlin Murphy Page, ICMP student, said:

I took part in the ICMP Songwriting Camp and it was a brilliant experience. I have done industry songwriting camps before and they accurately emulated an industry experience whilst also creating a supportive environment to help us produce our best work."

"They provided briefs and assigned groups of songwriters and producers and at the end we had the opportunity for feedback from an A&R. I am really proud of the song we wrote and would recommend it to anyone interested in being a songwriter, whether you’re a beginner or more advanced, everyone has something to gain and something to offer." 

Jessica Tekin, ICMP Songwriting student, added: "The songwriting camp was a great learning experience, we were put in groups and encouraged to write a song on the spot as it would be in a real professional songwriting session. It was also a great opportunity to meet new people from topliners, musicians to producers."