Music degree boost for college

Lancaster & Morecambe College is to offer its first full degree programme in partnership with the University of Central Lancashire.
Jon Moore and Sue Parish at the Robert GillowJon Moore and Sue Parish at the Robert Gillow
Jon Moore and Sue Parish at the Robert Gillow

The college will offer a BA (Hons) in music production, following the closure of provision at Lancaster University in 2015.

It already offers a successful HND in Music Production, after which students have previously had the option to progress to work in the industry or take a one year top up course to obtain a full honours degree.

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Previously students had to travel out of the area to take a top up course, but from this September students can enrol onto a one year BA (Hons) Music Production top up, awarded by the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan).

This means that students can benefit from staying close to home as well as saving money on their tuition fees, paying only full university fees for the top up year. The college’s music department teaching team includes a number of experienced industry professionals including Jon Moore, who has toured internationally as a professional guitarist with the band Edward II, sharing a stage with the likes of Alice Cooper and Sinead O’ Connor.

Jon said: “The course is rooted in the real world of today’s music. It provides an opportunity for students to pursue their areas of interest, and create innovative work of direct practical use in their chosen career. What’s not to like?!”

Fellow tutor Louis Davy, a recording engineer and producer who has helped to develop the links with UCLan, said: “Having seen the direction that many of our students have taken following the HND it seemed like a no brainer to develop a top-up programme. The idea of developing our HE provision even further and giving young musicians in the region the opportunity to gain a degree without having to migrate to other city’s seemed like the next logical step.”

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Previous students on the HNC and HND course include Katy Pickles and Joe McCorriston, who have gone on to have successful careers as recording and touring musicians.

It’s not just staff at LMC who are excited about the new course.

Ben Ruth, Lancaster Music Festival Coordinator, said: “The success of the Lancaster Music Festival, now in its 9th year, is primarily due to the hundreds of talented acts of all ages and genres based in Lancaster district. Of the over 500 acts that performed at the 2016 festival over 400 were Lancaster based. A large number of those were acts comprised of students who’ve attended Lancaster & Morecambe College and have benefitted from the excellent teaching and programmes there.

“As both Lancaster and Morecambe enjoy an increasing live music scene that is the envy of other metropolitan areas anywhere in the UK the time is well overdue for the district to offer a higher degree in music and to offer the young and talented musical cohort of the district an option other than to leave the area and deprive the area of their talent.

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“On behalf of the Lancaster Music Festival we applaud and support Lancaster & Morecambe College offering a music degree.

“A higher qualification in music is a step in the right direction for our district’s youth and our district’s culture.”

LMC Principal, Wes Johnson said: “We are thrilled to be able to offer our community this wonderful opportunity to study music to degree level in their local college. Music and performance form a key element of the area’s wellbeing and vibrant visitor economy, the college recognises its role in supporting the further development of this crucial element of the local economy.”

The course is now taking applications from anyone already holding an HND level qualification in Music, and has already had applications from a number of former students looking to continue their education. For more information please call 01524 66215 or visit www.lmc.ac.uk

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