2012
Technological advances have altered not only how music is made and sold, but also how it is promoted, accessed and used. This means that promotional, marketing and event management skills are becoming ever more vital to ongoing success and profitability of songwriters, musicians and record labels.
Southampton Solent University’s exciting and innovative Music Promotion course has been designed for those who love music and are passionate to have a career focused on sharing that enthusiasm with others. The course offers:
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Solid links with the contemporary music and media industries, providing a key opportunity to build your own contacts within this fiercely competitive industry.
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Collaborative links with local and national live music venues and festivals, and frequent opportunities to run your own live events and promotions.
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Partner with the Association of Independent Festivals – which will give our students access to their roster of festivals and to festival-focused professional development qualifications at Masters Level.
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Academic Partner for Camp Bestival and Bestival – a long term agreement which gives students the opportunity to work on the artist liaison and event production crews of these events, as well as opportunities for our own performers.
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A programme of high profile guest lecturers, including some of the biggest names in the music industry; Rob Da Bank (Radio 1, Bestival), Feargal Sharkey (UK Music), Nick Halkes (Incentive Records & Management), Mark Dempsey (SJM Concerts Tour Manager), and Mark Cann (Glastonbury Festival).
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SMILEfest – our annual student-managed Music Industry Conference and Festival, which features a week of exciting live events, industry speakers, and industry-led workshops.
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Opportunities to work with Radio Sonar - the University’s award winning radio station.
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Industry-standard digital and interactive media facilities
The course offers you comprehensive overviews of the music promotion, marketing and events management industries, and tutoring in the skills needed to produce and manage digital, interactive, collaborative and social media. You will also investigate popular music histories, genres and cultures, and learn about the development and future of the music industries.
During the course, there are many opportunities for you to undertake promotional campaigns and work experience with local venues and a range of national music festivals. For example, our students have recently;
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Worked in a variety of roles at internationally renowned summer music festivals such as Glastonbury Festival, Blissfields Festival, Glade Festival, Bestival and Camp Bestival.
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Worked in the management and promotion of several city centre live events, including Southampton’s Ejector Seat Arts Festival, and Music in the City.
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Undertaken work experience at Southampton live music venues such as The Joiners, Unit and The Soul Cellar.
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Managed the online viral marketing campaign for the Glade Music Festival.
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Managed and promoted the Popular Music Programme’s annual ‘SMILEfest’ event, incorporating a multi-venue music festival, and industry guest speakers/workshops.
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Completed a viral, online campaign for the band The Drums (signed to Island Records).
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Secured work placements in business such as LarMac Live, Big Machine Media, Warner Brothers, Coda Music, Columbia Records, XL Records, Hart Media and Radar Maker.
What are my Career Prospects?
Transferrable Skills
The course builds a wide range of transferrable skills which are in demand from graduate employers. Throughout your studies you will gain and develop excellent skills in verbal and written communication, in analytical thinking and independent judgment, in team working and self evaluation, and in managing complex and time-sensitive projects.
Career Prospects
You will be well prepared for a wide range of roles within the music, media and creative industries, and may progress to work in areas such as recording companies, artist management, event management, marketing and brand management, publishing, and new media. The interdisciplinary nature of the course also provides an excellent foundation for postgraduate study in a variety of fields as well as for self employment and freelance roles.
In addition, the work experience opportunities available throughout the course allow you to create an impressive portfolio and to build a network of contacts both locally and nationally, which will help you take your first steps in to the music industries at the end of the course.