International Music Roadshow Boost for Hinckley Music Students

Image caption: International Music Roadshow Boost for Hinckley Music Students

A group of musicians who have toured the world with legendary international acts are due to perform for students at North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College’s creative arts Hinckley Campus as part of a UK tour to showcase opportunities at new music institute Resonance.

The Resonance Roadshow band is due to stop at the college on Tuesday 5 November to show prospective students what the brand-new state-of-the-art music institute is all about. Based in the West Midlands just over half an hour from Birmingham, Resonance will be opening the doors to its first cohort of students in 2020.

Organisers of the roadshow will use the tour to highlight the myriad of careers available in the music industry – many of which are covered by the degree courses on offer at Resonance.
Co-director Rick Benton, who currently plays keyboard with West Midlands icons Magnum, has assembled a band of talented musicians to help demonstrate how Resonance could kick-start a career in the music industry.

Carrie-Anne Abdulai, Director of Higher Education at the College said, “We’re delighted to welcome the Resonance team to the College as part as its national roadshow. This is a perfect opportunity for our students to find out what a career in the music business is really like, and we hope that it will help to open their eyes to the range of career choices available. At North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College, we place a significant emphasis on getting students ready for further study and employment so meeting the talented team from Resonance and finding out about this new range of degree course will be extremely beneficial to them.”

Singer with the roadshow band is Samantha Dorrance, 27, who while being a singer/songwriter in her own right, is also a children’s TV presenter and face of the Disney Channel. She is joined by guitarist Greg Platt Lake, a session musician who has been working professionally since leaving school at the age of 16 and has worked all over the world with acts such as Steve Winwood and Robert Plant.

They will be joined by session drummers Lloyd Draker and Richard Kirk, who has played with the likes of Scorpions guitarist Uli Jon Roth, Limehouse Lizzy and the Grey Goose Blues Band; bassist Dan Clark who has played alongside Steve Vai, Scott Matthews and Beverley Knight; and Rick himself on the keys.

“We’re all looking forward to packing up our instruments into the back of a van and heading off around the country to spread the word of Resonance,” said Rick.

“For us, it’ll be like gigging as many of us have done for years, but these roadshows will be a unique way for us to demonstrate to young people considering a career in music how great coming to Resonance will be for them. It will be one of the best institutes of its kind in the country and I have no doubt that a lot of people will thrive in the learning environment we are creating.”

As well as performing songs and engaging students in music techniques, the sessions will also aim to provide a wider picture about careers in music.

“One of the things we are keen to stress here at Resonance is that while a career on stage is something that many will aspire too, there are lots of other careers in music you can follow,” said David Barnard, fellow co-director at Resonance.

“From the expertise needed for a live show to happen, to things like music teaching, the opportunities within the industries are endless. The point of these shows is to show the students that whatever their ambition is within music, Resonance can help them achieve it.”

Resonance will be offering degree courses in Popular Music Performance, Popular Music Production, Popular Music Performance & Production, Digital Music and Music Business from 2020.

To find out more information on the College’s music courses, the Hinckley Campus will be open on Tuesday 26 November between 5pm and 8pm.

To find out more about Resonance, visit their website, search ‘Resonance Education’ on social media or email info@resonance-edu.org.