HSDC alumna lands opportunities of a lifetime in the music industry

Passion, ambition and hard work has resulted in a variety of exceptional opportunities for a talented former student. 

Eden Gains, who studied a UAL Level 3 Extended Diploma in Music Performance from 2021 – 2023 at HSDC’s South Downs Campus, has landed some incredible music-focused work placements alongside her studies.  

Eden, who is currently studying Music Business at Southampton Solent University and hopes to pursue a career within the music industry began building connections within the industry whilst studying at HSDC.

With the help of her lecturers, Eden was introduced to a range of industry professionals, including Victorious Festival co-founder Ben Miles who then offered Eden the opportunity to work at the popular South Coast festival. In turn, this enabled her to gain hands-on experience within the industry alongside the chance to network with a range of professionals.  

Eden was then invited back to work at Victorious again this year where she did an array of tasks including running supplies to the stage, picking up riders, conducting site walks ensuring each stage had everything they needed for the day and artist liaison work.

Speaking on her Victorious experience, Eden added:

“It has been an incredible experience which has confirmed my passion for the live music industry. I have been lucky enough to meet some great music professionals through this too.”

In addition to this, Eden has also been offered a number of other incredible opportunities within the industry including at SONY Records and Glastonbury Festival to name a few!

When speaking about her college journey and how this has helped with building industry connections, Eden added:

“My college course helped so much when it came to connections within the music scene, especially around the South Coast. My lecturers introduced me to some industry professionals, and it has been incredible learning through them.

I also performed at Victorious Festival in 2023 which was an incredible experience, and I couldn’t have done that without my course boosting my confidence.”

When asked what advice she would give to students hoping to pursue a career in the music industry, Eden said:

“Go for whatever you want to do, it is achievable even if you do have imposter syndrome. I still don’t believe I do what I do, but it is real and achievable.”