London College of Contemporary Music
Former name
London Centre of Contemporary Music, London College of Creative Media
TypeFor-profit private higher education college
Established2002
Founders
  • Darius Khwaja
  • Geoff Hemsley
PrincipalAnthony Hamer-Hodges [1]
Students260 (as of 2016)[2]
Address
241 Union Street
,
London
,
United Kingdom
OwnerGlobal University Systems
Websitelccm.org.uk

London College of Contemporary Music (LCCM)[3] is a private college of higher education in South London offering undergraduate and master's degrees in music performance, music production and music business. It was founded in 2002 as the London Centre of Contemporary Music temporarily using the long name london college of creative media from 2016 to 2021. Notable alumni include Tom Walker and Rhys Lewis as well as musicians that tour regularly with George Ezra, Sam Ryder[4]

The Music Box, SE1
LCCM's Music Box campus in the snow

LCCM was also the home of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra from 2012 to 2017.[5]

Current Programmes

As of May 2023, the college offers BA (Honours) degrees in Commercial Music, and Music Business Management; BMus (Honours) degrees in Commercial Music Technology; Music Performance & Production and Composition for Films, Games & Other Media; and two MMus degrees in Music Performance and Music Production. It also offers Certificates of Higher Education in Commercial Music and Entertainment Business & Technology. All academic programmes are validated and awarded by the University for the Creative Arts. The college offers additional short courses in music development and a summer school for young musicians.[6]

Current Faculty

All of LCCM's tutors are experienced professional musicians or industry executives, the most notable of which is Dr. Mathew Knowles, father of Beyoncé & Solange Knowles and the successful artist manager of Destiny's Child.[7]

The Principal of LCCM since 2021 is Anthony Hamer-Hodges, a pioneering music executive who discovered & managed the UK Soul Singer Nate James between 2004-2009 and was employee number one and Chief Commercial Officer of fan-powered streaming service Supapass in 2014.[8][9]

History

LCCM was founded in 2002 by Geoff Hemsley and Darius Khwaja. Both were professional musicians; Khwaja had also worked for various arts organizations on a freelance basis. The college has always specialised in teaching the technical aspects of contemporary popular music and in preparation for a career in the industry. In 2017 LCCM moved to its current campus The Music Box, SE1.

The Music Box is a purpose-built campus on Union Street built on the site of one of LCCM's original buildings.[2][10]

The expansion of the college to the new campus caused financial difficulties in 2017 that led to insolvency of the old company 'London College of Creative Media Ltd.' and rescue by Global University Systems in January 2018. The new company, owned by GUS, was registered as LCCM AU UK Ltd.[11][12] LCCM subsequently announced that as part of Global University Systems it would remain fully operational with no material changes to either tutors or student activity. Students were able to complete their courses without interruption through LCCM's existing collaboration with the Open University.[13]

Since becoming part of the GUS Group LCCM has ranked as the top institution for contemporary music performance degrees in the UK four years in a row according to the independent National Student Survey with the highest overall student satisfaction.” [14]

Campus

LCCM's Music Box campus on 241 Union Street was built in 2017. Designed by Trevor Moriss and known as "The Music Box", the cube-shaped building houses the college on its first six floors. Its exterior is decorated with glazed bricks laid in a pattern replicating the piano arrangement of Cream's song "White Room". The building can accommodate 550 students at any one time and includes recording studios with double-height windows which allow passers-by to see those working inside and an underground performance space which seats 200. The upper floors of the building are devoted to privately owned apartments.[15]

Notable faculty and alumni

Alumni and past and present faculty of LCCM include:

References

  1. ^ "Our people". London College of Contemporary Music. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  2. ^ a b Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (November 2016). "Higher Education Review (Alternative Providers) of London College of Creative Media Ltd., trading as LCCM". Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  3. ^ UK Music Member Organisations London College of Contemporary Music Retrieved 31 May 2023
  4. ^ UK Music (17 April 2023)UK Music Announces Nominees For Outstanding MAP Graduate Awards Retrieved 31 May 2023
  5. ^ National Youth Jazz Orchestra (26 October 2017). "NYJO Academy moving to Morpeth School, Bethnal Green". Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  6. ^ LCCM. "Courses". Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  7. ^ Music Business Worldwide (16 March 2022). "MATHEW KNOWLES JOINS TEACHING STAFF AT LONDON MUSIC COLLEGE LCCM – AND THERE’S A FULL SCHOLARSHIP NAMED AFTER HIM, TOO". Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  8. ^ Music Business Worldwide (16 March 2022). "Key members of staff at LCCM include Industry Liaison JD Donovan, who manages acts with a total of 500 million streams on Spotify alone, and LCCM Principal Anthony Hamer-Hodges, who was an artist manager for 10 years as well as Chief Commercial Officer and “employee number one” at a music streaming startup.". Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  9. ^ LCCM. "Anthony Hamer Hodges - Programme Leader for BA (Hons) Music Industry Management". Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  10. ^ Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (April 2012). "London Centre of Contemporary Music, Review for Educational Oversight". Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  11. ^ House of Commons Committee of Public Accounts (28 February 2018). Alternative Higher Education Providers, Twenty-Third Report of Session 2017–19, pp. 5; 10. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  12. ^ Boyd, Catherine and Kernohan, David (15 January 2018). "What happens when an alternative provider falls into administration?" Wonkhe. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  13. ^ LCCM (15 January 2018). "LCCM Joins the Global University Systems Network". Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  14. ^ "LCCM CONTINUES TO BE TOP UK CONTEMPORARY MUSIC SCHOOL FOR STUDENT SATISFACTION IN NSS 2022". Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  15. ^ Christian, Bonnie (September 2017). "This building is inspired by pianos". Wired. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  16. ^ Moon, Grant (21 December 2017). "Q & A Charlie Cawood". Prog. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  17. ^ Wood, Ben (8 November 2010). "Interview: Hafdis Huld". Bearded Magazine. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  18. ^ Trudy Kerr. Biography. trudykerr.com. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  19. ^ Dave O'Higgins. Biography. daveohiggins.com. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  20. ^ Drury, Jim (2003). Ian Dury & the Blockheads: Song by Song, p. 185. Sanctuary. ISBN 1860745571
  21. ^ London College of Creative Media. Alumni: Tom Walker
  22. ^ London College of Creative Media. "Alumni: Soundrels". Archived from the original on 17 August 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2018..

External links

51°30′14″N 0°5′39″W / 51.50389°N 0.09417°W / 51.50389; -0.09417

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