RNCM launches UK’s first four-year degree in popular music

The Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) is launching the UK’s first ever four-year BMus (Hons) degree in popular music on 1 October.

The course, one of only three four-year popular music degrees in the world (alongside Amsterdam Conservatorium and Berklee College of Music), provides intensive training for instrumentalists and singers who intend to work as freelance musicians, bands and artists in the popular music industry, or as a foundation for postgraduate study.

Popular MusicDelivered at the RNCM, Blueprint Studios and Lever Street Studios, students will work with academics and professionals from the music industry such as session musicians, producers, songwriters, recording artists, composers, music directors, managers, promoters and performers.

The new BMus (Hons) in popular music seeks to develop students’ musical identity through creative composition, production and performance-based modules that enables them to be high quality performers and original artists in their own right.

Andy Stott, head of popular music at RNCM, said: “I believe there’s a revolution going on in Manchester, driven by the creative talents of the popular music students at the RNCM. We find ourselves in a unique position – offering the UK’s first four-year BMus popular music degree while enjoying all the benefits of a world-class conservatoire in a city with a rich musical heritage and dynamic popular music scene.

“We have the opportunity and ambition to cultivate what is already the UK’s premier training programme for popular musicians into one of the world’s leading centres for popular music education, innovation and artistic development. Our students are our biggest asset, and it won’t be long before they become leading lights in the UK’s popular music industry – trained in Manchester.”

Read more on the Classical Music website