Presentation Brief 2

What do you believe Leeds College of Music

must do to ensure that its graduates are fully
prepared for a successful career in the Music
Business?
1. The contemporary music business.
1a. The road ahead.
2. LCoMs current provisions, and ways forward.
 1. The state of the contemporary
music industry:
Largest growing sector (Warwick report, 2015) vs. low
levels of government/public support.

Huge shifts in income generation; marketing,

distribution, consumption across entire sector.

The gatekeepers no longer hold the entire castle.

Decreasing dominance of record labels: statistics
support a decline in record sales; increase in
streaming/online services. (Apart from vinyl).

WIFI, phone and pen principle: DIY/cottage industry.

 1. State of the industry continued:
Social media dominance not the end of the story.
Online content curation/human element.

Generational trends: BBC R2 most listened-to station;

traditional medias still very relevant for many
genres/artists.
Generation Y vs. Millennial behaviours.
Freemium economy: sourcing/exploiting income from
other avenues. (E.g. merch, patrons, tours).

Much more multi-faceted and highly pluralist.

 1a. The road ahead.
The consumption of medias, devices, the news agenda, and
industry direction. (Blogs, vlogs and apps).
Performance technology: holograms, 3D printing, mobile recording
studios.
Non-performance: socio-cultural; socio-political, and socio-
economic developments; access to entertainment and the arts.
Finely tuned freelance skills.
Facebook live and Youtube tiered subscriptions.
Students will have to be realistic in terms of timescale and
adaptability.
AR and OR.
Generational shifts/DIY industry + record labels
Human interaction and face-to-face networking.
 2. LCoMs provisions + ways to innovate:
LCoM is unrivalled in this area.
BIMM very weak; RNCM comparatively miniscule (funding).
Not marketed as an LCoM strength?
Students generally enjoy the Professional Studies
Modules. (QAA HER student submission, p. 26).
Self-promotion was extremely popular and students
highlighted its benefits.

LCoM students are mostly unaware of the careers

service.commented that they find it unhelpful and not
specific to their industry(QAA HER report 2016, p. 27).
How can we innovate, or better focus for TEF?
Student trajectory and jobs market.
 2. LCoMs provisions: TEF-related.
TEF: encourages original thinking, drives up engagement,
and prepares them for the world of work. (HEFCE, 2016)

Balance between academic/practical industry relevance.

Portfolio career awareness: where will a graduates income
likely come from in the music business?

More outward-facing student competitions/awards: (Yamaha)

Enterprise award; Global radio prize, Community music
champion.

Professional studies modules increased credit weighting.

 2. LCoMs provisions: business and
professional studies:
Online literacy and digital curation: build upon
and augment.
Hi Manny, I spent 50 on boosting my post, why
hasnt it gone viral?
Building an audience getting that audience to
throw money at you. Music industry has come full
circle from classical era.
Embed creative industry placements within
curriculum.
Major industry project, flexibility in collaborative
direction (e.g. community music).
WITCI dragons den proposals: present at Leeds
Digital Festival, or Young Enterprise partnership.
 2. LCoMs provisions: business and
professional studies continued:
Greater collaboration between BA music business and BA
music students.
Chamber music approach.
Peer learning collaboration growth
Impact of Graduate tax and Comprehensive Spending
Review.
MOOC options = greater student recruitment.
Rolling-out new professional studies options alongside new
pathways.
Film/songwriting = Sync and publishing module. Musical theatre
= Auditions, agent, and circuit training.
 2. LCoMs provisions: ROI
ROI: no music conservatoire offers unconditional,
alumni career support.

Career fair/day. Encouraging students to engage with

companies and employers.
Improved careers service.
Events and enterprise collaboration.
Industrial liaison panel.
Non-performer focus: creative industries bigger picture.
Marketing digital and broadcast medias.
 To summarise (read only).
Hugely shifting, pro-DIY/indie music industry now, and in the
future.
Unashamedly showing off and building upon professional
studies.
Greater collaboration between BA music business and BA
music.
Embedding outward-facing industry experience across all
curricula, at all years.
Excellence in teaching and learning.
ROI; value for money, outward-facing, tangible employment
embedded within curriculum.