Member Article

Youngsters offered taste of music industry with Gateshead placements

North East youngsters are being offered the chance to learn skills that will equip them for a career in the music industry, through 50 work placements at Gateshead Academy of Music & Sound.

The Academy, one of a network of eight centres across the UK, is offering a series of placements to young people who are interested in a career in music.

Marketing manager Michael Archer said: “It’s about giving young people an insight into the industry - with a focus on how you make money from music, whether it be teaching, production or sales.

“There’s so many different roles at play within the industry, and we’re keen not to make this an admin-based work placement. It will require real work, and will hopefully expose them to the range of roles within the music industry.”

The Academy provides BTEC Level 3 and foundation degree programmes from its Gateshead premises.

Kathryn Thubron, centre manager, said: “We believe we can offer young artists an excellent practical environment to develop crucial know how to help them find jobs, to strengthen their life skills, and of course improve their musical dexterity.”

North East actress Victoria Elliott, who currently plays a lead role in a west end musical and also known for starring in hit series “Hebburn”, firmly agreed with the academy’s approach.

She added: “Practical learning about the music industry alongside actual learning an instrument is essential to make a success of things.

“It’s tough out there and you need to work out how to break through into the right musical scene to suit your talents from the start.

“I would have loved to access that type help had it been more widely available at the beginning of my early music studies.”

To apply for the opportunity of a work placement please email gateshead@academyofmusic.ac.uk or call the Academy of Music and Sound Gateshead on 0191 478 7879

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .