East Sussex Academy of Music

East Sussex
Academy of Music
A level Music & Music Technology
BTEC Level 3 in Music
Offered by East Sussex Music
in partnership with Lewes Sixth Form, Sussex Downs College
September 2016 Entry
“There is such a nice atmosphere within ESAM, everyone supports and respects each other and
leaving will be hard! I will be studying to become a musician and I have ESAM and its teachers to
thank for their support.”
Patrick Weaver, third year student - clarinettist
Welcome!
“The East Sussex Academy of Music (ESAM) is a unique place. Join us, and we guarantee you
will be excited and challenged by the experience.
In this brochure you’ll find out more about the excellent facilities on offer, what you will study, and
the range of ensembles you can join and the success of our students. There’s nowhere in the
whole of Sussex offering our level of performance opportunities within the college and in the
community.
This is a great time to be coming to ESAM. In the last few years we have seen impressive results
coming from our BTEC course and we have upgraded to industry-standard Macs and software.
We enjoyed a successful tour of Paris in the summer, as well as running a Film & Music
Composition Summer School. ESAM offers large-scale and small group music-making, in an
atmosphere of camaraderie and peer support.”
Nick Houghton, Head of East Sussex Academy of Music
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Who chooses to come to ESAM?
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Students looking to take music-making to
the highest level – we are the only institute
in Sussex offering a Pre-Professional
Certificate in Music Performance as an
add-on module to Music A-level or BTEC
Level 3
Students interested in expanding their
musical knowledge and understanding, and
wanting to study music in its widest context
– the Music A level set works cover 400
years of music
Students who would like to develop their
skills with Music Technology or pursue a
career in contemporary pop music
Students who may not necessarily be
thinking of music as a career, but who have
reached a certain standard of playing,
singing or composing and who love music
Students who seek opportunities to perform
outside college
Pre-Professional Certificate in Music Performance
This is a fantastic opportunity for musicians hoping
to go on to study at music college or to develop
their performance skills to a higher level.
Students are tutored in small ensembles (for
example string quartet, vocal trio or pop group) by
teachers who are themselves professional performers. Students give two concerts per year and gain a
certificate at the end.
Taught on one timetabled lesson per week, this
course in Music Performance (‘Pre-Pro’) will not
clash with other subjects or take the place of a full
A level. It is offered as a specialist addition to Music
A level/BTEC and is not a standalone qualification.
Ensembles
The ensembles are at the core of what makes ESAM
so special. ‘Ensemble’ simply means ‘together’ – and
that’s what you will do: make music together with
others just like you. All rehearsals take place on
Wednesday afternoons, and there are concerts three
times a year involving all the ensembles.
Music AS
Music A2
Music AS
Music A2
Academy Choir: All music students sing with
Academy Choir, which can mean seventy singers or
more! Directed by John Hancorn.
Academy Orchestra: Symphony orchestra with
music based around classical repertoire. Directed by
Nick Houghton and Maeve Jenkinson.
Academy Voices: A small choir for serious singers.
All first-study Voice students are expected to sing in
Academy Voices. Directed by John Hancorn.
Academy Session Orchestra: Session Orchestra
marries traditional rhythm section instruments with a
prominent sax and brass section along with a large
string section. The repertoire reflects popular music
over the last 50 years, with opportunities for students
to arrange music themselves. Directed by John Evans.
As well as these ensembles, we also run Jazz/Swing
bands and a pop choir – always lots to get involved in!
A Level Music
Examining board: Edexcel
2015 results: 100% pass rate
This new 2-year A level Syllabus is based on the AS and A2 Syllabus that it replaces.
It divides into 3 areas: Performing 30%; Composing 30% and Appraising 40%.
Performing: During the course you will take instrumental/singing lessons and together we will help you improve your
performance skills. All students will give several short recitals leading towards their final recital (of 8 minutes’ length).
Composing: All students have their compositions performed and recorded live. Students also study traditional harmony – the
skill at the heart of all fine composition.
Appraising: A lot of class time is spent studying Set Works, including Vocal music, Instrumental music, Music for Film, Pop
and Jazz as well as more recent Classical music. Your ability to identify features aurally is also developed (and tested in the
exam). You need to be a fluent reader of traditional music scores. Students’ experience is enhanced by trips to hear professional concerts.
Instrumental lessons: In addition to the course work, ongoing instrumental and vocal tuition is essential and is available
through our team of academy teachers who work within East Sussex Music. For details of these instrumental teachers please
visit www.sussexdowns.ac.uk/colleges/music-academy.
Entry expectations: Fluent readers of music – Grade 5 theory recommended. Accomplished instrumentalists/singers –
Grade 5 ABRSM Theory and Practical recommended. We audition ALL applicants.
A Level Music Technology
AS in one year, A2 in two years
Examining board: Edexcel
The course will teach you to sequence MIDI and audio, record live instruments and produce CDs, and compose and arrange
using industry-standard software (Logic) on Mac computers.
AS year
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Sequencing a well known pop song
•
Your own live multi-track recording
•
Your own sequenced arrangement
•
Study of pop and jazz styles since 1910
A2 year
•
Combining sequenced and live performance
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Multi-track recording up to 24 live tracks
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Your own composition using music technology
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Manipulating recordings and analysing production techniques
Entry expectations:
Some degree of ability in music performance and reading music. A knowledge of music technology would be an advantage.
Students can sign up for our Grade 5 theory course. Audition required upon application.
BTEC Level 3 EXTENDED CERTIFICATE
(2 year course, equivalent in size and UCAS points to 1 A-level)
2015 results – 85% D*-M, 100% D*-P
Students on the BTEC Level 3 Extended Certificate course will learn about and acquire the key knowledge and practical skills
required for their potential chosen career as a freelance musician. The course principally focuses on performance and
composition techniques and researching and investigating the roles and relationships of the various strands that make up the
Music Industry.
The course comprises of 4 units which are:
•
Music Performance Brief (coursework submission, internally assessed)
•
Music Composition Brief (under exam conditions, externally assessed)
•
Professional Practice in the Music Industry (under exam conditions, externally assessed)
•
Music Ensembles (coursework submission, internally assessed)
The course is suitable for students wishing to progress to Higher Education courses with an emphasis on popular music.
Entry requirements: GCSE or BTEC Level 2 and Grade 5 standard or above on main instrument desirable. Audition required.
Some of our 2015 leavers
From left to right: Joe Thomas (studying Music at Southampton University), George Nicola (studying Music at Royal Northern College of
Music), Alfie Dyer (lead drummer in numerous local bands), Ella Croucher (studying at Access to Music), Riah Knight (studying at
Access to Music), Katie Young (studying Music Production at Guildhall School of Music and Drama).
What next after ESAM?
Music is a well respected A level qualification. Most of our
students would go on to University to study Music with
some students following their career paths in other
subjects such as Art, Drama and English.
Every year we also have students gain places at
prestigious conservatoires such as the Royal Academy of
Music, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and
Birmingham Conservatoire.
In addition, a number of our students have also gained
places on pop music degree courses at BIMM, ACM
Guildford or LCM London – or become successful
freelance musicians.
Left: Tom Bryan went on to study Cinematography at
Ravensbourne College, London and travelled the USA with his
band ‘Folk Tuesdays’ which was formed whilst at ESAM.
Academy Core Staff
Nick Houghton BA (Hons),
PGCE, FRCO is the Head of the
East Sussex Academy of Music
and teachers the A-level course.
Having begun his music career
as a chorister at Coventry
Cathedral, Nick is an organist,
pianist and choral conductor
and works as a professional
continuo player and accompanist. He is also an A level examiner for Edexcel and runs the
East Sussex Community Choir.
Stuart Wagstaff BMus (hons)
PGCE is Lecturer in Music Technology and a tutor on the PreProfessional Diploma. He gained
his degree in Popular Music
performance at the London
College of Music, and has been
playing rock and pop bass for
about twenty years in various
bands.
Rachel Fryer M.Mus, BA (Hons)
PGCE is ESAM’s Head of Piano
and is active both as a soloist
and accompanist. Rachel
performed extensively for the
late Sir Yehudi Menuhin’s ‘Live
Music Now!’ organisation, and
has worked as tutor and coach
on the National Young Pianist’s
Course, for the National Youth
Orchestra and on many summer
music courses.
John Evans M.Mus, BA (Hons),
ARCM (DipPG), PGCE is the
Academy BTEC co-ordinator. He
is an award-winning composer,
arranger and guitarist in the
West End. John has written for
the BBC as well as arranging
scores for Faber Music and
songwriters in the current music
industry. He performs with Tom
Chaplin (former band member of
Keane) and has played for ‘The
Divine Comedy’ headlining and
touring festivals.
John Hancorn GTCL, LTCL,
ESAM’s Choral Director, studied
at Trinity College of Music and
has a well established career as
a professional singer, having
extensive performing and
recording experience in the field
of opera, oratorio and consort
singing. John is active locally as
Music Director of the East
Sussex Bach Choir and the
Sussex Baroque Players.
Jess Ainsworth is the
Academy’s administrator and
concert organiser. Jess was a
student at Sussex Downs
College and ESAM between
2003-2005 where she studied
Music A-level and Performing
Arts. She is currently in her
sixth year working for the
academy and studying Music
Therapy outside of work.
Performing at Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, Summer 2015
Contact us
East Sussex Academy of Music
Performing Arts Centre
Sussex Downs College
Mountfield Road
Lewes
East Sussex BN7 2XH
Tel: 01273 336793
email: [email protected]
find out more & apply: sussexdowns.ac.uk
Academy Administrator: Jessica Ainsworth
Head of East Sussex Academy of Music: Nick Houghton
Director of East Sussex Music: Lucy Morgan-Jones