Bachelor of Music-Songwriting. Image courtesy of JMC Academy.
With over 32 years of experience offering arts education, JMC Academy is one of Australia’s leading creative industries institutions. Offering degrees and diplomas in Film, Television, Games, Animation, Design, Entertainment Business Management, Audio Engineering, Contemporary Music Performance, and as of 2015, will add a new course to the mix; a Bachelor of Music – Songwriting.
Majoring in songwriting rather than performance, the degree will provide musicians with the opportunity to hone their craft, while understanding the principals of music in the context of Film and Television, as well as learning the key concepts when arranging band charts and lead-sheets.
Shannon Brown, Songwriting Lecturer at JMC Academy said that the new additional degree will allow songwriters the time needed to nurture their ability and develop their musical identity.
‘The curriculum for this degree is designed to help create strong, focused songs that perfectly blend lyrical ideas with powerful melodies,’ said Brown.
Delivering inspiring and technologically sophisticated programs, the course will also offer one-on-one weekly tutorial sessions with an experienced professional tutor, along with an instrument studies program, as well as performing with their selected band.
The course also covers music technology. This content is especially helpful for students wishing to become a music programmer, arranger, orchestrator or music copyist, but more importantly, it helps students become well-rounded musicians.
‘They’ll also unlock the secrets behind recording and producing their own demo song, understanding the power behind recording software like Pro Tools and be proficient in using industry standard digital score writing programs like Sibelius,’ said Brown.
The JMC Academy boasts accomplished tutors and mentors from within the industry: one mentor working with the new intake for the upcoming degree in February 2015 is Rick Grossman- the bass player for the Hoodoo Gurus.
Recent graduates that have sprung from JMC Academy doors include national recording artist Timomatic, along with several alumni making successful careers in 3D animation, game design, audio engineering, entertainment management and film and TV, including The Voice and The X-Factor.
Other graduates include Adam Wilkinson who discovered and managed 5 Seconds of Summer, Daniel Brown who has worked on live recordings of Coldplay, One Direction and Justin Bieber concerts, and Damien Schneider who worked on the technical animation team of Happy Feet 2.
Brown said there are many possibilities for future pathways with a songwriting degree. ‘You could end up becoming a performing songwriter, a staff writer for a major or independent label, a jingle writer for radio and TV, a songwriter/producer, a lyricist, a composer or a music supervisor.’
Bachelor of Music- Songwriting
Applications open
To apply & for more information visit JMC Academy.
