Popular Music at a Conservatoire or University

[Lililili]

My DD has seen a course at RNCM, Manchester, Popular Music, which she has fallen in love with. She is very talented musically, plays several instruments and attends a Saturday Junior Conservatoire. In her own time she composes and records her own music, pop/folk/rock. The course at Manchester does look fantastic, but we hear it is extremely competitive to get on to. A quick search shows there is a similar course in Leeds. There is a course at Liverpool university too, but I’m not sure how practical it is. She is only in Year 10, but is having to make decisions about Sixth Form now and wants to make the right A level and/or BTEC choices. She will probably get a mixture of A*s As and Bs at GCSE and 3 grade 8s by the time she applies. Does anybody know of any other suitable university or Conservatoire courses? Or have suggestions of what she should do for A levels? (she is thinking of Music and any of French, Psychology, Sociology, English Lit, Drama, Media, Music tech ....) Any advice or experience would be great. Thanks!

Why don’t you visit one or more of the universities she is interested in? The department will be able to give you good info.

Not sure it matters at all! Offers will be made after audition and unlikely to depend on A level grades unless she goes down the uni route which it doesn't sound like she'd like.

Has she looked at the London conservatoires? Guildhall, RCM?

One of DD's friends and a former student of mine is on the RNCM course. She is enjoying aspects of it very much. She went to a course in the summer of year 12 which covered preparing for it and they gave her some good tips, which obviously stood her in good stead. Coincidentally, I was at uni with the course leader, but he claims he couldn't remember me (and I now use my married name which he wouldn't know).

She looked at the Leeds one but for family reasons preferred Manchester. Another former student told us about a course at Goldsmiths with a really good reputation and DD's friend did look into it too.

As far as A levels are concerned, I would suggest that your DD doesn't close her options down. Music and Music Tech is very restrictive if she changes her mind. She should look at French or English Lit as they will open more doors. If she is successful at audition, they won't matter much. However, life has a habit of throwing us the odd curve ball and I counsel my students to have a decent back-up plan, just in case.

Has she looked at LIPA? It has a very good reputation.

Thanks for the tip about LIPA comefromaway I hadn’t heard of it and it does look good. And the Goldsmiths course looks good too. Thanks for all your advice Malbecfan We’ll have a look at that RNCM summer course too, that looks like a good idea. It’s good to hear of someone on the degree course who is enjoying it. DD met a singer in a band recently who had loved it there too. I wonder if there is a less popular instrument that people apply with. I mean she sings, I imagine that is very tough numbers wise, but she also plays piano (and cello and sax) and is learning drums and guitar by herself ...
I think you’re right about A levels. I think Psychology would be a good one too as she has talked about Music therapy and her careers questionnaire that she did at school threw up psychiatry and counselling as options as well as Music. Thanks again!

Paul Mcartney originally set LIPA up Lililili.

I have a Year 12 dd who is a potentian dancer/musical theatre performer and a Year 10 ds who is a potential musical theatre/singer-songwriter hence me looking at these places.

Ah great Comefromaway - It’ll be interesting to see where your DD ends up and you never know our year 10s may end up in the same place!

Dd is there already. She’s doing a Level 6 diploma in Professional Dance & Musical Theatre at a Dance/MT college.