Unfortunately, having a love of music or being musically inclined is not enough to make a profit. Stiff competition prevents anyone who relies on talent alone to enjoy longevity in the industry.
Luckily, there are music education programs that are designed to take a love of music and turn it into tangible knowledge that will ensure success in the industry. One such program is offered at Centennial College under the name Music Industry Arts and Performance.
As the name suggests, the program, unlike other music programs, doesn't limit students to learning one area of the industry. On the contrary, through three years of training, students are prepared for a wide variety of careers relating to music. Graduates enjoy a standing as versatile, culturally aware musicians and singers with the technological and business savvy necessary to work in the music industry of today and tomorrow.
This is achieved through classes that nurture musicality and creativity, raise awareness of a variety of music cultures, build knowledge of music-related technologies, and develop business and entrepreneurial skills. Specific courses offered in this program include: Creativity in Context, Musicianship, Popular Music in Culture, Worlds of Music, Music Business Fundamentals, Composition, Musical Entrepreneurship, Indigenous Music in Culture and much more.
Another aspect that sets this program apart from other music schools Toronto offers is a teaching method that sees plenty of hands-on experience. As such, students have lots of opportunities to perform and record. One particularly beneficial hands-on aspect is private lessons that students get to attend to develop their playing/singing ability to a professional level. Lessons consist of five components: notation reading, technique, improvisation, arranging, and repertoire.
Once students have a good grasp on the music college Toronto topics, they join the music creation and business stream or the music creation and technology stream, depending in their area of interest. Those in the music creation and business steam attend courses such as: Copyright Royalties, Licensing and Publishing; Music Marketing and Social Media and Advanced Music Business. Meanwhile, those in the music creation and technology steam learn from courses such as: Live Sound Engineering, Recording Studio Environments, Advanced Sound Mixing and Editing and more.
"No other [music programs Toronto offers] offer the same blend of performance, creative, contextual, business and technology courses," says faculty member Jesse Feyen, a 15-year music industry vet who performed internationally as a soloist and in a variety of popular music groups on drums, keyboards, guitar and vocals. "There are very few resources out there geared to helping musicians take control of their own careers and find a sustainable role in the music industry."
While music degree programs focus on theory. This diploma program is the perfect combination of theory and practice that prepares graduates for sustainable, music-related careers.
