How Dudley’s new state-of-the-art music institute could look revealed

The first artist’s impressions of how the Black Country’s new multi-million pound music institute Resonance could look have been released for the first time. 

The former office building Cable Plaza on The Waterfront at Brierley Hill, is being given a complete facelift by Overbury, the UK’s leading fit out and refurbishment specialist, who have been appointed to oversee its transformation into a modern and top level music institute.

Resonance will be a one-of-a-kind institute for popular music in the Black Country and will offer degrees for students seeking a career in a range of music industries.    

With a mixture of classrooms, lecture theatres, recording studios, practice rooms and radio studios being fitted at Cable Plaza, which has lay empty for eight years. These new impressions show conceptual images of what students could expect to see when it opens in September 2020.

David Barnard, co-director at Resonance, said:

“We’ll be providing first-class teaching to students who enrol at Resonance and we need the building they study in to reflect that.  

“We’re absolutely delighted with the look and feel that Overbury has pulled together and we can’t wait to see them bring it to life. This is going to be an excellent institute. One of the best in the country.” 

The £9.5 million project is not exclusively for students and it is hoped it will become a vital community music hub. Musicians and organisations from across the region will be encouraged to make full use of the state-of-the-art facilities on offer.   

“We want musicians from across Dudley and the West Midlands to be excited to come to Resonance and feel they are part of something special when they are here,” added David.  

“We want to be involved with and benefit the community we are based in. In fact we see this as an essential part of what we are doing here.” 

Andrew Wood, Managing Director at Overbury, said:

“Resonance is a fantastic addition to the West Midlands and is a project we’re proud to be working on. We can already start to see it coming together and taking shape and it’s going to look fantastic when we are finished.”  

Describing the artists’ impressions, Andrew added:

“We’ll be keeping the iconic spiral staircase, we’ll be filling the walls with music history, famous quotes, instruments, artwork and more.  

“This will mean students are surrounded by music everywhere they go which will help immerse them in the subject they are studying.”   

The building is set for completion at the end of this year and will be welcome students for open days and auditions in 2020. Classes will start that September.  

What is Resonance?

Resonance is a brand-new, multi-million-pound, state-of-the-art music institute coming to the Black Country in 2020.

It’s taking over the old Cable Plaza building at The Waterfront Business Park in Brierley Hill, Dudley and is set to open its doors in September 2020.

The previous reporting incorrectly detailed that the project would cost over £30 million. On its own, Resonance is a £9.5 million project, and is supported by:  

• Black Country LEP – £7.16 million  

• Unity Trust Bank – £2 million  

• Arts Impact Fund – £300k  

Places at Resonance will be limited to ensure that students get the best teaching and practical experiences. Applicants will need between 96 and 112 UCAS points before being invited to audition for their place. 

Undergraduate degrees on offer (to start in September 2020):-  

• BMus (Hons) Popular Music Performance,  

• BA (Hons) Popular Music Performance & Production,  

• BA (Hons) Popular Music Production, 

• BA (Hons) Digital Music,  

• BA (Hons) Music Business 

By its third year, Resonance is hoping to offer an MA in Contemporary Music Performance.

Resonance will be offering a suite of courses under a franchise arrangement from Solent University in Southampton.