From a childhood dream to university, with CONEL

Level Three Music Student Lisa Farrell-Tonge has had a passion for music from an early age and started at The College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London (CONEL) on a Level One Music course after her GCSEs. Working consistently hard, Lisa has progressed through the levels with expert support and guidance from her tutors and her next step is studying music at the University of Hertfordshire.

Lisa has loved being at CONEL and feels that our students are happy people who are enjoying their courses and are ready to make a success of themselves.

Lisa has loved being at CONEL. She said: “I began at Level One, I’ve learnt different skills, like what types of software to use to make music. My main instruments are the piano and bass and I love creating my own music, with friends and collaborations.

“It’s a comfortable transition from each Level at CONEL. My teachers have been very patient and direct with me when I’ve needed to improve something. Thanks to their help I’m moving to university and will be able to employ the skills they taught me.

“I’m going to the University of Hertfordshire to study music for film and movies.. I’ve always been interested in the moving image, how composers express themselves and show different types of emotions through their music. For example, John Williams in Harry Potter made his music sound very haunting and intense. I want to create sound tracks for movies too, and that’s where my inspiration came from.”

Coming to college from school was a big jump for her but Lisa loved the fact that she could plough all her energies into just one subject that she had always adored.

She went on to say, “During my Level Two year, I was doing work experience locally and was asked to arrange a music event at the Blighty Café which specialises in different food from around the world.  It went really well, and everyone loved the idea of bringing together cultures and listening to their music in this environment.

“CONEL brings in different people and cultures from around the world. It gives you opportunities to make friends and get to know teachers well. All the faces here are happy,  people who are enjoying their courses and are ready to make a success of themselves.”

If like Lisa, you are considering a career in music production, you’re probably keen to know how much you’ll be earning. Once you have completed your course at CONEL, you could land a job in one of the following positions:

• Music Promotions Manager: £33,800
• Studio Sound Engineer: £26,000
• Musicians: £42,120
• Production and Process Engineers: £44,720

London is a leading global centre for music and music production. The workforce is projected to grow by 4.2% over the period to 2024, creating 2,400 jobs. In the same period, 31.9% of the current music industry workforce is likely to retire, creating 18,200 job openings, making it a great time to study a music course here at CONEL