BA (Hons) Music: Popular Musicology
- International students can apply
On graduation many students go on to develop careers as freelance composers, performers and producers, as well as music educators (teachers, advisors, lecturers) and arts administrators. We have many students that go on to study at Masters and Doctoral level.
Career Prospects
Salford’s music courses are renowned for producing graduates who excel in their chosen professions. Our graduates have forged careers as signed recording artists, professional performers, studio producers/engineers, live sound engineers and freelance composers/arrangers. Many have become events organisers, promoters and entrepreneurs while others have developed successful careers in music education as teachers, lecturers, senior administrators and educational advisors. Those who continue their studies at a postgraduate level find themselves well-equipped to cope with the academic and technical demands of a higher degree.
Alumni Profile
The following profiles demonstrate the diverse range of successful careers our music graduates have embarked upon:
Two members of the band Everything Everything (lead singer/song-writer Jonathan Higgs and Bassist Jeremy Pritchard) are popular music graduates from the University of Salford. They will support Snow Patrol on their 2012 UK Stadium Tour, and have performed live on BBC2’s Later with Jools Holland and at the 2011 Mercury Prize Ceremony. Everything Everything have been nominated for two Ivor Novello Awards and were shortlisted for the Mercury Album of the Year award for their debut album Man Alive.
Recording artist and singer-songwriter Kristyna Myles graduated from Salford in 2005 and has since featured on albums by Chris de Burgh and Rick Guard. She has supported Mick Hucknall on a UK tour, and performed her own songs on television programmes such as Songs of Praise and Play it Again. In 2009 Krystina was nominated for Best Gospel Act at the MOBO Awards as part of the gospel collective DTWG. She has since signed a five album deal with Decca Records.
Popular music graduates James Cook (lead singer) and Rick Boardman (keyboards) are members of 3-piece Indie Electronica band Delphic, and have supported acts such as Orbital and Kasabian. Their debut album Acolyte received a Times 4 star review, and they were placed third on the BBC Sound of 2010. Their music has been regularly utilised within the wider media, for example, promoting Sky Sports’ coverage of the 2010-11 Premier League.
Andrea Leonelli studied popular music and then a Masters in Composition at Salford and now works full-time in digital production at Universal. He has also created a Podcast dedicated to the latest trends in Digital Music interviewing start-up CEOs, technology experts and journalists. The show has a wide following within the industry.
Popular music graduate, Caroline Redman Lusher, is the Founder and Director of Rock Choir TM which has received widespread praise for its community ethos and extensive membership. Caroline’s entrepreneurial success has resulted in numerous television appearances on ITVs’ documentary The Choir That Rocks and BBC’s Breakfast, and she has been widely praised for her inclusive teaching methods.
Popular music graduate, Stuart Avery, has developed his own successful music promotions business, SA Promotions. He also works as a record producer / mastering and post-production engineer on a freelance basis for bands and London-based dance labels Energise Records, Klone Records and Rumour Records. Another of our music graduates, Kelly Wood, works for the Musicians Union in the North West. Kelly studied aspects of arts administration as part of her course, during which time she attained a placement with Granada Studios.
The Head of Music at LIPA, Mr Martin Isherwood, graduated with a BA in Band Musicianship and then an MA in Compositional Studies from Salford (Martin also went on to win the BBC Song for Europe in 2003). Also working in the popular music education sector, Mr Mark Acton, another popular music graduate, is the Programme and Quality Leader for Music at Trafford College, Manchester. David Connolly graduated in 2010 and is now working as a composer and sound designer for London based creative music and sound company, Radium Audio Ltd. His latest projects have involved creating music for a Blackberry commercial and music and sound for Sky 3D.
Industry Links
We have direct links with professional institutions such the BBC Philharmonic, Halle Orchestra, National Youth Orchestra of Scotland, National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain as well as the ‘Sounds from the Other City’ festival. We have a good working relationship with many venues in the local area including Islington Mill.