ICMP welcomes USC students for music exchange and collaboration

ICMP welcomed students from the USC Thornton School of Music in the US for a programme of musical collaboration, live events and performances. 

Many of the visiting students were majoring in contemporary and classical performance, as well as music production and business and had the opportunity to collaborate with ICMP students from our Masters in Popular Music Performance.

Initially, students were welcomed with a party at the North London Tavern following rehearsing and songwriting at ICMP's Kilburn campus, and a masterclass from Professor Sophie Daniels on songwriting.

Students from the Finland School of music, Novia, also visited and collaborated and performed at the Queen's Park venue opening show.

The students all spent two days at the University of the Arts London working on fashion and photo shoots for their respective bands. 

Professor Richard Smith at the USC Thornton School of Music said: "Celebrating its 15th year as one of the world's first international study abroad programmes focusing on contemporary original music, the USC/ICMP Maymester Collaboration is unique."

Students form bands, write, rehearse, record, photograph, record, promote and perform concerts all over London, building musical relationships, experiences, skills and alliances that will last a lifetime."

Students had the opportunity to perform gigs across London, including the Canal Bar, the North London Tavern with a Trinity College string ensemble collaboration, and the Camden club for the final showcase.

They spent three weeks songwriting and rehearsing together in three bands called Pots and Scran, The Firemen and Respectfully No.

The penultimate event was to record in Abbey Road Studio 2 where the students cut 16 tracks. These were then mixed the next day at ICMP's Queen's Park campus, using ICMP alumni producers Jan Pawlikowski and Georgia Winter alongside production majors from USC.

The grand finale was a wonderful wrap party at the Paradise bar in Kensal Green, where students and tutors got to relax, hang out and share their highlights of the trip.

Professor Ace Kent, ICMP's Head of Industry Partnerships and Business Development, said:

This collaboration with USC is such a valuable experience for our students, not only to collaborate with one of the most prestigious music schools in the world, but to be able to write and perform with like-minded young musicians."

USC's Professor Tim Kobza said: "The London programme is an immersive deep dive into the art of musical collaboration where a student's success is measured by the friendships and connections, hopefully leading to future international projects!"

Well done to all participants in the initiative!

Find out more about ICMP's network of international partners.