College of Music Hits the Right Note with Innovative Development Week

Renowned music education college WaterBear, recently hosted a pioneering Development Week, invaluably providing its students with a series of exclusive masterclasses, insightful talks, networking events and other unique prospects.

The successful week, held in replacement of a traditional university ‘Reading Week’, was introduced as part of the college’s ongoing commitment to the focused development of its students through the provision of an enriching environment and industry-led opportunities.  

To kick-start the anticipated Development Week at the college’s Sheffield campus, rising Doncaster-based star ADMT provided a firsthand account of the realities of the modern music industry, culminating in an engaging Q&A session. In addition, Christian Carlisle, an esteemed host of BBC Introducing for Leeds and Sheffield, offered helpful advice on securing spots on the channel and highlighted its significance for young artists.

Meanwhile, on the Brighton Campus, WaterBear’s songwriters and singers participated in a dynamic two-day songwriting camp led by tutor Jade Williams. Students had the opportunity to collaborate and work as a team in one of the five studios set up across the Brighton campus, before engaging in a listening and feedback session with Reservoir Media’s Senior Creative Manager, Russell Hunt.

Significantly, DIY artists and musicians were able to attend a talk hosted by Sam Clines and WaterBear MA Alumni Chelsie Tyrell (Heights) from Extreme Music, and Rob Gigante of Emeralds Music titled ‘Make Money From Your Music With Sync’, the session shared valuable insights on monetising music while learning about the world of sync. Following the discussion was a showcase with A&R representatives Arnaz Marker and Ellie Spilkner from Universal Music Group, who provided a lively Q&A session and offered their feedback to four lucky students on their music.

Moreover, music professionals gathered at Brighthelm Basement in the South for an exclusive networking event followed by an electrifying Open Mic night at WaterBear Venue Brighton, where talented performers showcased.

Crowning the week was WaterBear’s very own adaptation of Dragons Den, ‘The Bear Cave’. Students had the opportunity to pitch their music projects or business ideas to ‘The Bears’ – a panel of industry experts. The interactive session allowed students to receive feedback, advice and the chance to secure £1,000 for their innovative concepts.

Andy Maclure, WaterBear Careers and Industry Director commented:

“Development Week at WaterBear represents our dedication to nurturing the next generation of music professionals by offering them real-world experiences and connections within the industry. Providing students with hand-on opportunities to engage with sector experts and to showcase their talents is essential for their growth and success in the music industry.”

Founded by music education pioneers Adam Bushell and Bruce John Dickinson, WaterBear has built an unrivalled reputation for its dedication to specialist one-to-one mentoring, focused class sizes and exclusive career development opportunities.

WaterBear offers BA (Hons) degree and master’s courses made for today’s musicians, artists and industry professionals. Its colleges are based in the heart of Brighton and Sheffield, two amazing UK cities with incredible musical roots and heritage. The college also has a range of online distance-learning courses.

WaterBear is a College of Falmouth University, a pioneer in creative industries education, entrepreneurship and innovation. Run by musicians, for musicians WaterBear is about smaller class sizes, flexible course delivery, bespoke one-to-one mentoring and exclusive work experience and career development opportunities.