Higher Education at the Academy of Music & Sound
Higher Education is more than just a course...
Higher Education at the Academy of Music and Sound is your stepping stone to a career in the music industry. We understand that musicians need to be highly trained in a range of skills and being top notch on your instrument is just the start! To support our Higher Education students, we have also developed a pioneering enrichment program.
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Courses at AMS
Foundation Degree Music
This course is designed for musicians who want to improve their instrumental skills while working on stagecraft, performance and rehearsal skills. You will have the opportunity to work with a range of musicians developing you communication skills and network of professional contacts. To support your vocational skills, you will also develop entrepreneurial and creative skills, helping you to get your freelance career off the ground.
Foundation Degree Creative Music Production
On this course, aspiring producers will have the opportunity to develop skills to work with artists in the studio or work on your own EDM creations in our iMac suites. If you choose to study as a studio producer, you will work on recording, mixing and mastering. If you choose to study on our EDM pathway, you will develop your skills in live midi implementation and triggering, audio loops and sequencing. In addition to these creative skills, you will also work on entrepreneurial skills and teaching skills, helping you to develop a sustainable freelance career.
HNC & HND Music
In our Scottish centres, you will have the opportunity to study HNC and HND courses. These courses are for musicians who want to develop their instrumental and performance skills while also receiving teaching on a range of skills that the modern musician will need. You will develop teaching, creative, entrepreneurial and analytical skills, readying you for further study or your freelance career.
BA(hons) Performance Industries Top Up
Once you have completed your Foundation Degree or HND, you can embark on our BA(hons) Performance Industries Top Up in 1 year. Through a variery of exciting projects, you can develop your musicianship, sound recording, composition and songwriting skills. You will have an enormous amount of creative autonomy and freedom to tailor your degree to suit your needs.
If you've been working in the music industry as a professional, but don't have a Foundation Degree or HND qualification you may still be able to fast track directly to the BA(hons) Performance Industries Top Up through the process of Recognised Prior Learning (RPL) Please contact your local centre for more information.
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Higher Education Enrichment Program
Masterclasses
Our industry led masterclasses will provide you with specific training and connections with top class practitioners. Previous masterclasses have been delivered by Nat Power, Newton Faulkner, PRS for Music, Bumblefoot, Vintage Trouble, Musicians Union, Futureheads and many more!
Industry Mentors
Our industry mentor scheme will connect you with dedicated professionals who will offer help and advice. Your mentors will be available throughout your time on the course and for 6 months after you graduate to really help you get your career off the ground.
Tour & Showcase
At the end of your first year on the Foundation Degree in Music Performance, you will be taken on a tour bus to a showcase event within the UK. You will showcase your talents at a gig with students from across the UK. After the gig, you will spend the night on the tour bus as you're taken home. Music Performance students will be given delegate passes to Liverpool Sound City where you can network with the who's who of the UK music industry. Creative Music Production students will have the opportunity to attend Sonar in Barcelona.
If you're interested in any of our Higher Education courses, please contact any of our locations for more information.
Newton Faulkner visits AMS Exeter
Newton Faulkner delivers a fantastic masterclass at the Academy of Music & Sound in Exeter
We were very lucky recently to host a fantastic masterclass from Newton Faulkner in out Exeter centre. The masterclass was focussed on songwriting, guitar techniques, the experience of working in the music industry and how to get started in the industry. After the masterclass, Newton was kind enough to stay and speak individually to each student in the room, taking the time to offer tailored advice and guidance to each student.
Centre manager Laura Wright said: The masterclass was absolutely brilliant. Newton Faulkner is a highly skilled guitarist, songwriter and performer and to have him here at our centre, performing live for us was a real privilege. Our students went away on a high after being inspired and motivated to try out new techniques and to keep working hard towards their own musical careers.
Becky Walker, a student on the BTEC Level 3 Music Singer-Songwriter course said: It was a great intimate experience, with great humour and some enriching stories that further made me want to branch out and better myself
Following the success of the masterclass, Newton is now in the process of developing a signature Songwriting module for the Academy of Music and Sound as part of the Foundation Degree Singer-Songwriter course, ready for delivery next September. This news has further delighted Higher Education students at the Academy of Music and Sound. This module will be available to all of our Foundation Degree students alongside our brand new Higher Education Enrichment program.
Sara Sanders, from the Music Degree course said about Newton: “He was so down to earth, which was refreshing to see. It was great to hear about his experiences”
AMS Edinburgh's End of Term Gigs!
Photo’s from the events
This week Edinburgh held two end of term gigs for their BA and HNC students. Well done to everyone, the standard of performance was fantastic!
The HNC EOTG for term 3 is an opportunity for students to demonstrate how their skills and confidence have developed through the year. Monday’s performance was held in popular Edinburgh venue “Carbaret Voltaire” in the heart of old town. With a wide ranging musical program ranging from Soul to the Sex Pistols, the HNC’s entertained the crowd with performances that demonstrated technical skill, professionalism, stage craft and a real sense of confidence in their ability.
“As a tutor, seeing the musical development of learners is the most satisfying part of the job. The difference in performance levels and confidence between their first gig and this one really is remarkable. For this gig the students were responsible for the planning and running of the event. The night was a real success and everybody should be very proud of their efforts.” – Andrew Smith HNC course coordinator/Duty Manager
Check out the photos below.
