Music Performance Level 3

[Jazamaroo]

Anyone got any experience of this? My daughter is going into year 11. She's keen to do a Music Performance Level 3 course at college afterwards. I have zero experience of this. She sings and is currently doing grade 6 and is also recently started to learn guitar. Will do grade 3 in Autumn.

My perception is that all others applying will be much more advanced than this. It seems a tough career to get into. She also just started DJ'ing and LOVES that. It's the first time I've seen any motivation towards anything from her so very very keen to support. Just don't know how.

HELP!

Whereabout are you? Does she have any colleges in mind?

We're just outside London so on Metropolitan line.
Looking at local college in Watford. West Herts do courses.
Also Access Creative College do level 3 in performance and production. BIMM will stop their diploma level courses after September this year so not an option. PointBlank looks good but would have to self fund that I think so not a good option. ELAM also on list. Need to go to the open days I guess, but any advice gratefully received.

I have a DD who is looking at these courses.

Point Blank is for post-18 - they don't do any L3 BTECs for 16-18.
BIMM did, but it's only a 1 year course and not at the same level.

BRIT, ELAM and ACM Guildford all do them, as do Morley College and Rhythm Studio.

BRIT and ELAM are both extremely competitive, especially for singers.

To give an idea, ELAM has over 1k applicants for the music course and only 23 places for vocalists.

She will need a portfolio of composition work as well as passing the singing auditions. You also need to take either guitar and/or keyboard and need an interest in music production as that is a big element of the course.

ELAM also require you to continue taking AS/A Level English and Maths for both years (or resit GCSE if you haven't passed).

In terms of where others are likely to be, I suspect it will be high at the most competitive colleges and much lower at the private ones that charge fees. Those I know aiming at/attending BRIT and ELAM have been very focused for years on going there and are pretty advanced.

Thanks.
I had thought it would be really competitive. Those odds seem pretty high.
Brit and ACM are in commutable in realistic terms.
Do you know anything about Access Creative College? They currently have a campus is Hoxton but are opening one in Whitechapel this academic year.
Was going to go look at that.
Realistically though I think she needs a bit of time to figure out what she wants to do. She's very musically oriented but has not been on a mission towards this goal for years so won't have the portfolio or experience you describe.
The local college in Watford is likely to be a better bet. I think she needs to have time to explore these things and grow up a bit.
What is your dd going to do?

My DD has just completed her first year of Music Performance. We're not in London though so there isn't that same level of competition.

DD is at a local college and had to audition for her place. She'd had singing lessons for a couple of years and was at about a grade 5 level according to her teacher (no exams taken though). She also plays keyboards at a similar level.

Not everyone on her course has taken music exams. Some were self-taught (especially guitar) but very talented.

She didn't need to take a portfolio but had done a fair bit of composition work as part of her music GCSE. Her course and the Music Production course are fairly intertwined as far as I can tell and do a lot of work with and alongside each other.

Does she enjoy it?
I think at this stage an enjoyable learning experience would be so helpful.
She has adhd and massively struggles with school. I am dreading this year.

She absolutely loves her course.

School was always something of a 'necessary evil' for her. She would do the work and liked being with her friends but otherwise was just counting down the days till GCSEs were over and she could leave.

She started her college course last September and actually complained that the Christmas holiday was too long and that she wanted to get back to college! 😮

She gets to spend her days making and composing music and being around like-minded people. They can either form a band with other students or stick to solo performances. The course includes performing in various gigs, and some of the students have gone on to arrange their own gigs at different venues in their spare time.

It's so encouraging to hear this.
School is a necessary evil for my DD too. Trying hard to find the balance between supportive and helpful in context of her ADHD. Its so hard she oscillates between total ostrich and panic.
Deep breaths required!
Hope getting her through this year and onto something she'll enjoy more will help.

Her enthusiasm for her course is truly remarkable.
During her school years, education had always been more of a "necessary evil" in her perspective. While she managed her tasks and enjoyed her time with friends, her focus was largely on the countdown until GCSEs were completed and she could bid farewell to school.
However, her journey took an exciting turn when she embarked on her college course last September. Astonishingly, she even found the Christmas break to be too lengthy, eagerly yearning to return to college! 😮
The shift in her attitude is remarkable, as her days now revolve around creating and composing music, surrounded by individuals who share her passion. She has the opportunity to collaborate with fellow students and form bands, or she can choose to shine in solo performances. The curriculum also entails live performances at various venues, and some of her peers have even taken the initiative to organize their own gigs during their free time. This course has provided her with a vibrant and creative environment, fostering growth and meaningful experiences beyond her expectations.

samth??

Ds did his Music Performance L3 at a local college and is now at Leeds Conservatoire. He has friends on the course who went onto places like LIPA, BIM, ACM, Waterbear, LCCM etc.

At ds's college someone around Grade 6 level at the start would be one of the higher ability students. Ds was one of the few who cold read music. Whilst many of his fellow students may or may not have a career in music it gave them 2 years of education doing something they love and also acquiring lots of soft skills. Many of his friends had struggled at school and suddenly they were thriving. He and at least another two of them, are ND and school had been a huge battle.

That's so good to hear. I really just want DD to have exactly what you describe. A time that she enjoys education.

What did your DS go on to study after the L3? Is it an extension of music performance? Sorry I don't know much about a Conservatoire and what it would offer.

Yes, he is studying a degree in Popular Music Performance. He actually wants a career in musical theatre but you can only specialise instrumentally postgrad so he had a choice between studying Pop, Jazz or Classical for his degree.

He was offered a job on a cruise ship but turned it down to finish his education. But he already earns quite a bit playing for amateur theatre shows, accompanying singers, making backing tracks and keyboard programming. He has developed organisational skills we never knew he had, he liases with other professionals to organise work and has learnt a lot about marketing and promotion.

Good for him. Sounds like it was exactly what he needed. Trying to keep this sort of thing in mind whilst we slog through year 11.

Incidentally ds's friend is a drummer but he also DJ's. If you are good there is money to be made there.

My advice would be that if she hasn't already to get her Grade 5 music theory and learn to read music. It's not necessary for the L3 course, or indeed many degree courses, but having it gives you loads more options both degree and job wise.