Professional Development - Birmingham Conservatoire

Prinsip 1/3 dalam proses pengelolaan hartaAuthor : erwin_yPublish : 17-08-2011 08:40:48Dalam kehidupan ini kebutuhan hidup terutama kebutuhan hidup sehari-hari mungkin bagi sebagian orangterasa berat dan juga harga-harga yang merangkak naik seolah enggan untuk turun. Sebentar lagi musimpendaftaran sekolah dimana semuanya serba baru (seragamnya, buku-bukunya, lingkungannya, temannya danlain-lain). Sementara penghasilan masih tetap, sedangkan harga barang - barang naik. Ditambah lagibeberapa bulan ke depan kita akan menghadapi bulan suci bulan ramadhan dan juga hari raya idul fitri.Dimana semua harga barang dipastikan naik sementara itu bulan ramadhan dimana seharusnya pengeluarankita lebih sedikit karena puasa namun justru pengeluaran semakin banyak.Semoga kisah di bawah ini bisa memberi solusi bagi semua terutama dalam bidang ekonomi bagaimana agarkita dapat memenuhi kebutuhan kiita sehari-hari.Prinsip 1/3 dalam proses pengelolaan hartaSumber : http://geraidinar.blogspot.com/Nasihat ini di ambilkan dari kitab Riyadus –Shalihin yang ditulis oleh orang sholeh zaman dahuluyang terkenal keikhlasannya. Saking ikhlasnya Imam Nawawi, konon kitab asli dari Riyadus Shalihin tersebuttidak bisa dibakar oleh api.Nasihat ini sendiri berasal dari hadits Rasulullah SAW yang panjang sebagai berikut : Dari Abu Hurairah RA,dari nabi SAW, beliau bersabda, “ Pada suatu hari seorang laki-laki berjalan-jalan di tanah lapang,lantas mendengar suara dari awan :” Hujanilah kebun Fulan.” (suara tersebut bukan dari suarajin atau manusia, tapi dari sebagian malaikat). Lantas awan itu berjalan di ufuk langit, lantas menuangkanairnya di tanah yang berbatu hitam. Tiba-tiba parit itu penuh dengan air. Laki-laki itu meneliti air (dia ikutike mana air itu berjalan). Lantas dia melihat laki-laki yang sedang berdiri di kebunnya. Dia memindahkan airdengan sekopnya. Laki-laki (yang berjalan tadi) bertanya kepada pemilik kebun : “wahai Abdullah(hamba Allah), siapakah namamu ?”, pemilik kebun menjawab: “Fulan- yaitu nama yang diadengar di awan tadi”. Pemilik kebun bertanya: “Wahai hambah Allah, mengapa engkaubertanya tentang namaku ?”. Dia menjawab, “ Sesungguhnya aku mendengar suara di awanyang inilah airnya. Suara itu menyatakan : Siramlah kebun Fulan – namamu-. Apa yang engkaulakukan terhadap kebun ini ?”. Pemilik kebun menjawab :”Bila kemu berkata demikian,sesungguhnya aku menggunakan hasilnya untuk bersedekah sepertiganya. Aku dan keluargaku memakandaripadanya sepertiganya, dan yang sepertiganya kukembalikan ke sini (sebagai modalpenanamannya)”. (HR. Muslim).Bayangkan, bila Allah mengirimkan awan khusus untuk menyirami kebun kita. Di kala orang lainkekeringan, lahan kita tetap subur. Di kala usaha lain pada bangkrut usaha kita tetap maju, dikala krisismoneter menghantam negeri ini – kita tetap survive. Dan ketika usaha kita berjalan baik sementarasaudara-sauadara kita kesulitan. sepertiga hasil usaha kita untuk mereka – alangkah indahnya sedeqahini.Bagaimana kita bisa memperoleh pertolongan Allah dengan awan khusus tersebut ?, kuncinya ya yang dihadits itu : kita bersama keluarga kita hanya mengkonsumsi sepertiga dari hasil kerja kita. Sepertiganya lagikita investasikan kembali, dan yang sepertiga kita sedeqahkan ke sekeliling kita yang membutuhkannya.Karena janji Allah dan rasulNya pasti benar, maka kalau tiga hal tersebut kita lakukan – Insyaallahpastilah awan khusus tersebut mendatangi kita. Namun jangan dibayangkan bahwa awan khusus tersebutharus benar-benar berupa awan yang mendatangi kita. Bisa saja awan khusus tersebut berupa temanPage 1

Professional DevelopmentYour development as an individual musician is ofvital importance. So, in addition to providing youwith the best combination of one-to-one training,masterclasses and coaching, the professionaldevelopment aspects embedded into each oneof our courses are designed to offer you bothpersonalised advice and significant scope todiscover and develop your own artistic direction.Embedded into all core modules, PersonalDevelopment Planning (PDP – see p34) focuses onincreasing your self-awareness as a musician. Notonly will you cover topics relevant to all musicians,ranging from practical advice on tax to CV writing,but you will also explore issues specific to yourown development, such as time management andyour personal learning style.Professional development, however, encompasses alot more than PDP. For instance, you will be offeredthe chance to perform and record at the highestlevel, using our professional-quality venues andstudios (see pp24 & 25). Furthermore, whateveryour course and specialism, you’ll be able to tailoryour study to suit your own musical and professionalaspirations. You will have access to a wide rangeof musicianship electives to supplement your corestudy, as well as the opportunity to take advantageof study abroad and to pursue paid professionalwork through our external engagementsprogramme. A variety of professional schemesis available to help you in the final stages of yourtransition from student to professional.Having the ability to follow your interests andnurture your talents will not only help you todevelop your individual musical profile, but willensure that your course remains interesting,relevant and enjoyable.Performance OpportunitiesIf you are an instrumentalist or singer,performance will be integral to your course. Inaddition to solo performance, you will be expectedto participate in a range of ensemble activitiesappropriate to your first study area. Your Headof Department will work with you to negotiate asuitable balance of activity, including participationin orchestras, bands, choirs, chamber music, etc.Our performance programme includes severalorchestras and large ensembles, ranging from ourSymphony Orchestra to our Thallein Ensemble forcontemporary music; chamber music; early music,performance opportunities in large and chamberensembles; and a well-developed world musicprogramme (see pp89-94 for further details).Both undergraduate and postgraduate vocalistsare given the opportunity to participate inour active and inclusive opera and stageperformance programme (see p58). Composerscan take advantage of our dedicated Composers’Ensemble when organising performances of newcompositions.A number of ongoing and special concert seriesand festivals provides further opportunities toshowcase particular areas of work (see p86).In addition, special large-scale events in recentyears have included:• Three Cities Orchestra - an orchestral projectbringing together students from Birmingham,Lyon and Frankfurt under the baton ofProf Rolf Reuter for concerts in Lyon andBirmingham• Duke Ellington’s Far East Suite - performedby our Jazz Orchestra and acclaimed jazzpianist Liam Noble• Red Revolution - a Symphony Orchestraconcert including Beethoven and Berliozconducted by Lionel Friend in Symphony Hall• and many more!84

Concert SeriesWe present over 300 events per year, includingconcerts, special events, open masterclassesand more. Although many of our concerts areindividually-organised events, there are also severalseries threading their way through the year, whichgive structure to our concert programme.Monday Lunchtime SeriesWith its in appreciative audience of regularattenders, this series of free lunchtime concertsprovides an excellent opportunity to give firstperformances of challenging repertoire.Tuesday Lunchtime SeriesDedicated to our rising stars, this series acts as aplatform for our most accomplished performersand is usually devoted to students on the AdvancedPostgraduate Diploma course.Friday Orchestral Concert SeriesA series of large ensemble concerts, includingperformances from our Symphony Orchestra,Sinfonia, Brass Band and Wind Orchestra, ThalleinEnsemble and Capelle Baroque Orchestra‘Frontiers’ ContemporaryMusic SeriesFeaturing guest performers and composers, as wellas student performers and composers, this seriesexplores contemporary music, acoustic and electroacoustic.Certain concerts are normally held incollaboration with spnm and the BMIC’s CuttingEdge tours. More recently, Frontiers has enjoyedits own mini-festival, Frontiers Plus, which hascelebrated the works of resident composers suchas Gerald Barry and Colin Matthews.FestivalsWhether focused on a particular theme or not,festivals can uniquely provide much-needed chancesto step back from the day-to-day rush of student lifein order to focus solely on performance.Chamber Music WeekOur annual week-long festival of chamber musicnormally takes place in the spring and includes staffand student performances, plus a celebrity recitaland masterclass from a different visiting ensembleeach year. More recently, the Week has includedcomplementary films and lectures. See also p75 fordetails of recent Chamber Music Weeks.New Generation Arts Festival (NGA)NGA is one of the University’s most ambitiousundertakings of recent years. Reaching across all theUniversity’s arts faculties and including participationfrom other Birmingham-based arts trainingorganisations and artists, NGA celebrates graduatingand alumni artists in music, creative writing, finearts, design, moving image, dance and drama.NGA 2007 spanned two weeks and made use of 26venues across Birmingham, including galleries,concert halls, railway stations, outdoor venues andshopping malls. Normally held at the end of Juneand designed to showcase Birmingham’s talentto a national audience, NGA remains an excitingpromotional opportunity for our senior students andgraduates. www.newgenerationarts.co.uk86

RecordingMost musicians will find themselves taking part in arecording at some point in their career, so we think itis essential for you to have the opportunity to gain anunderstanding of the recording process during yourstudent years.Our Music Technology Department provides coresupport for all students (score-writing skills,recordings of concerts, demos and special projects),as well as a number of electives. Classes in recordingtechniques and performing with technology are opento all students, while those with previous experiencecan also access advanced classes covering topics likesound design, interactive installations and computeraidedcomposition (see p93). In particular, there isa studio module for Jazz students, which providestuition in basic digital recording techniques.Although it is not compulsory, almost all of ourstudents gain some experience of recording– through studio or on-site sessions, producing,engineering, or editing – by the time they graduate.Nearly 1/3 create a CD of their own as a majorproject, using our state-of-the-art facilities (see p25).A unique aspect of studying at the Conservatoire isthat you will be able to collaborate on recordings andproductions with the highly-skilled students on ourBSc (Hons) Music Technology course, taught jointlywith the University’s Technology Innovation Centre(see p124).Aside from a considerable number of excellentstudent projects, recent Conservatoire recordingprojects include:Wind Ensemble• CD of Dvorák and Strauss serenades recordedin aid of the charity Music for Harry• forthcoming CD of Mozart’s Gran’ Partita K361,together with the six Notturni for voices andbassett hornsChamber Choir• conducted by Paul Spicer, the Choir’s firstCD focuses on 20th Century English choralrepertoireJUCE• our own jazz label, JUCE (Jazz @ UCE) hasreleased two CDs of music composed andperformed by our Jazz Department staff.Folk Ensemble• DVD, based on the Ensemble’s 2006 UK tour.Featuring performances of traditional tunes,new arrangements and original compositions,the film (by Jonathan Day) includes singing,dancing and a good smattering of merriment.See also p81.CD Sampler• to give you a flavour of the all music beingcreated here, we’ve produced a CD sampler.If one is not included with this prospectus,please contact our Faculty Office(T: +44 (0)121 331 5901 /conservatoire@uce.ac.uk) and we’ll happilysend you one.88

Musicianship ElectivesRenowned for its diversity, our musicianshipelectives programme gives you the freedom tocustomise your course according to your ownneeds. Through them, you’ll have the chance to tryout the widest possible variety of activities whichmight influence your career and to pursue at thehighest level those which resonate with your corevalues as a musician. Elective modules covereverything outside your core study and fall roughlyinto three categories:• those that offer essential support inprogressing your first study work (see p91)• those that apply directly to your specialistarea and give you the chance to enhance youremployability and skills (see 93)• those that contribute to broadening yourmusical knowledge and your enjoyment ofmusic (see 94)Often, activities which are part of the corecurriculum in one first study area will be availableas electives to students in other first study areas(though, in some cases, participation is subjectto audition). Your first study will determine whichactivities you are required to undertake, and yourpersonal goals will suggest which categories therest of our electives fall into for you.Tutorial StaffAfrican DrummingJahman Sillah AfricanMaster DrummerFolk MusicJoe Broughton BMus HonBCKodály MusicianshipMiranda ZwalfRaga Sangeet(second study area)SitarAlexander TechniqueAlison Loram ARCM PAATBSc(Hons) PhDRoy ThompsonPauline Wetherell LRAM STATGamelan EnsembleJonathan RobertsGospel ChoirPeter Daley MAPerformanceCoachingKaren O’Connor BSc(Hons)Psychol GRNCM PPRNCM ARCMUniversity Fellow in Teachingand LearningClem Alford SangeetSudhakar (Calcutta) SurMani (Bombay)TablaSarwar SabriInstrumentalConductingDaniele RosinaPhysio & MovementTrudi Brass BSc(Hons) DCMMCASamba & BrazilianRhythmSteve Brown BMus(Hons)89

Karen O’ConnorPerformance Coach and University Fellow for Teaching and LearningKaren’s groundbreaking work at the Conservatoire has beenturning heads all over the country. She has been profiled innational publications, invited to do numerous workshopsand was recently appointed a University Fellow to continueher innovative work in performance coaching. Recently,Karen asked her students to sum up mental skillstraining for performance in one phrase, for those whodon’t know what it is. Here are some of the responses:“The smallest mental changes can make the biggestperformance differences”“It can make you think about yourself in a newlight and be more aware of the potential youcan reach”“Learn how to prevent anxiety from hiding yourperformance talent”“There are solutions available”“Do it even if you don’t think you have any bigproblems – it can really, really help”“I found it so helpful to air my views and realisethat others face the same worries”“Learn how to get the best out of yourself inorder to produce a successful performance”“Even if you don’t suffer from performance nerves,you can learn how to expect the unexpected anddevelop strategies to deal with it”“Everyone can benefit from it”“Essential!”90

Supporting your developmentAlexander TechniqueWe are committed to supporting your progress inyour first study through the Alexander Technique.The Alexander Technique offers a practical meansfor change by bringing about an improvement inbalance and co-ordination. Through a series ofclasses and individual lessons, you’ll be providedwith an introduction to the Technique and an insightinto its application in performance. Our sessionsdemonstrate how the Technique can improve vocaland instrumental skills and address the problemsof performance.Physio & MovementTo support your general health as a musician, wealso offer Physio & Movement, an active, practicalclass that covers all aspects of movement andmobility. Relevant to players, singers and evencomposers, the class provides training in how touse the whole body more efficiently. The content ofthe weekly sessions varies according to students’needs; some come with a specific problem, whileothers attend as a preventative measure. As wellas providing a basic introduction to anatomy formusicians, classes typically combine stretching,breathing techniques, Feldenkrais and practicalmassage techniques for problem areas such as thewrists and the neck. The class will encourage andhelp you to focus on how you move your body andoccasionally incorporates work with instruments.Trained in chiropractic and Alexander techniques,tutor Trudi Brass began delivering Physio &Movement masterclasses at the Conservatoire over10 years ago. The success of these masterclassesled to a scheduled session, which is now availableto all students on a regular, occasional, drop-in orprivate basis.Performance CoachingSport psychology and the mental regimes itembraces have long been recognised as playing acrucial role in strengthening the performances ofelite athletes when under pressure. Our innovativeprogramme of coaching in performance skills appliesthese same trusted methodologies and strategiesto the particular demands of music preparation andperformance. Through workshops and individuallytailored coaching sessions, you will be introducedto a range of mental techniques which can be usedto enhance your musical skills. The programmerelies on a collaborative approach between you– the performer, your first study teacher and ourPerformance Coach, CBSO oboist Karen O’Connor,herself an active professional performer:“Students are normally allocated up to five one-hoursessions with me, sufficient time for me to introducethem to ways of managing the mental element of theperforming equation. My immediate task is to findout what the student has been experiencing duringlessons, concerts, exams, auditions, competitions,etc. Performance issues presented range from mildperformance anxiety, to full-blown ‘I ran off thestage’ panic episodes. Techniques we work withinclude setting realistic performance goals, mentalrehearsal, pre- and during performance routines,breathing and relaxation, improving concentrationand motivation, coping with injury, dealing withdistractions, performance simulation, objective postperformance evaluation... to name a few. My workingstyle is totally collaborative and between-sessionhomework tasks are a key component of the process.These tasks give students the opportunity to ‘plugin’their burgeoning skills to their daily performinglife, outside the consulting room. It’s wonderful toobserve confidence and performance enjoymentreturning, as an initially troubled young performerbegins to bloom, and also to see the ways in whichtheir increasing performance confidence impactspositively on the rest of their lives. My aim is thatstudents leave confident, happy and well on the wayto a successful professional career, with all the skillsneeded to make me redundant – my ideal scenario!”In 2007, Karen was appointed a University Fellow inTeaching in Learning to continue developing this areainnovative work.91

Enhancing your core skillsComposition Skills & Music Technology• Brass Band scoring & arranging• Composers’ EnsembleThis ensemble brings together studentcomposers with instrumentalists and singerswho wish to rehearse and perform newlycomposed music on a regular basis. It givesperformance students a realistic insight intowhat it is like to work with a composer and viceversa.We offer a wide range of different activities in soundrecording, video soundtrack work, and computercomposition:• Max/MST• Music Technology: Advanced• Performing with Technology• Recording TechniquesConductingLed by Daniele Rosina, these introductory andfollow-on classes allow you to develop yourinstrumental conducting skills.• Conducting: Beginners• Conducting: Intermediate/AdvancedEarly Music• Capelle Baroque Orchestra (see p77)• Medieval & Renaissance Music (see p77)Ensemble Singing• Chamber Choirs I & II (see p79)• Conservatoire Chorus (see p79)• Gospel Choir (see p79)General Skills & Other ElectivesMusic in the Community• Music and Well Being in partnership with thepediatric unit at Heartlands Hospital• Nurturing creativity in Early Years in partnershipwith a local primary school / community centreStudents from all courses are encouraged toinvestigate and develop links with a wide varietyof community groups. Recent projects havetaken place in local schools, hospitals and othercommunity venues. Participating students gainexperience in workshop and communicationskills; and project planning, management anddelivery, which serves as initial training forthose who wish to undertake postgraduatework in Community Music (see pp36 & 112) andMusic Therapy.• Chamber Music coaching (see p75)• JournalismLed by freelance music journalist Chris Morley.• Kodály Method• Second Study (see also p39)Our second study provision allows youto develop your skills on a related orcomplementary instrument through individualspecialist lessons.• Teaching ObservationIn collaboration with the Dudley Music service,senior undergraduate students can elect toobserve classes for a total of 12 sessions.93

Broadening your musicalknowledgeAfrican DrummingAlongside East African amadinda xylophonemusic, students can take Djembe instruction fromGambian Master-drummer Jahman Sillah.Folk MusicRun on an elective basis, the Conservatoire FolkEnsemble has become an enviable addition toour range of performing ensembles. Currently 65members strong, the Ensemble performs a mixtureof original folk-based music and traditional tunesspecially arranged for the group under the directionof Joe Broughton. The Ensemble undertakes ashort UK tour every spring, occasionally workingwith guest artists. Recent appearances include TheLichfield Festival.Gamelan EnsembleOne of the most co-operative musical systems inthe world, gamelan is taught at the Conservatoireby Jonathan Roberts. The Conservatoire owns avery fine Central Javanese bronze gamelan withadditional Balinese instruments.Gospel ChoirDirected by Peter Daley, this dynamic and eclecticchoir performs traditional and newly composedgospel music and has been featured on BBCRadio3.Raga SangeetFocusing on North Indian music, theConservatoire’s excellent provision includesspecialised instruction as a second study in tabla,sitar and voice, as well as in performing ragas onWestern instruments. Staff include Clem Alford(sitar) and Sarwar Sabri (tabla).Samba & Brazilian RhythmESP (Escola de Samba Paradiso), a percussionbateria, rehearses every week, and has playedfor carnivals and street festivals all over the WestMidlands. Led by Steve Brown.94

Professional SchemesCBSO OrchestralTraining SchemeThe CBSO has now firmly established its nameon the world stage. In recent years, under theleadership of Sir Simon Rattle and now SakariOramo, the orchestra has maintained a growingrelationship with the Conservatoire, which includesconductors and ensemble workshops, research andthe CBSO Training Scheme. The Training Schemeprovides the opportunity for selected studentsfrom the Strings, Woodwind, Brass and PercussionDepartments to gain first-hand professionalexperience by observing and playing in CBSOrehearsals. Students on the Scheme also have theopportunity to perform in CBSO masterclasses andreceive orchestral audition training and mentoringfrom orchestra principals. Auditions for the Schemereflect professional orchestral audition procedures.www.cbso.co.ukPhilharmonia OrchestraParticipation SchemeThe celebrated Philharmonia Orchestra has beenthe resident orchestra at Leicester’s De MontfortHall since 1997. The success of this innovativeregional residency has provided the ideal foundationfor a partnership between the orchestra andthe Conservatoire: the Philharmonia OrchestraParticipation Scheme. Enabling exceptional fourthyearand postgraduate students to participate asobservers during the final rehearsals for certainof the Orchestra’s Leicester concerts, the Schemeprovides valuable first-hand exposure to theprofessional orchestra setting and challengingrepertoire, as well as renowned conductors andplayers. The Conservatoire recommends studentsfor the Scheme. www.philharmonia.co.ukThe CBSO with Sakari Oramo in Symphony Hall95

BRB Pianists for Dance SchemeBirmingham Royal Ballet is one of the jewels inthe city’s cultural crown and the Pianists for DanceScheme is part of BRB’s developing relationshipwith the Conservatoire. It allows piano studentsto attend BRB rehearsals and performances, andoffers selected students the opportunity to trainas rehearsal pianists with this internationallyrenownedcompany. Trainees undertakeimprovisation classes and challenging repertoire,working with the company and its EducationDepartment. This successful scheme has alreadyproduced a number of professional ballet pianists.www.brb.org.ukProfessional Developmentfor OrganistsIn addition to the Whitlock Organ scholarship(see below), organ students can take advantageof scholarships offered by Lichfield Cathedral;St Chad’s Cathedral; Birmingham Cathedral; StAlphege, Solihull; and other local churches (seep136 for application information).Symphony Hall & The WhitlockOrgan ScholarshipAcclaimed as one of the finest concert halls inthe world, Birmingham’s Symphony Hall hasmaintained a long and varied partnership with theConservatoire. Among its collaborations with thecollege is an organ scholarship funded by the PercyWhitlock Trust and established in celebration of theoutstanding four-manual Klais organ inauguratedin Symphony Hall in 2001. The Scholar plays asignificant role in Symphony Hall’s educationprogramme, presenting the organ to school groupsand members of the public, as well as givingrecitals (see also p47). www.thsh.co.uk96

BCMG Workshops& Reading SessionsOriginally formed by players from within the CBSO,Birmingham Contemporary Music Group (BCMG)is now established as one of Europe’s leadingensembles. Its core work revolves around thecommissioning and performance of new music andits partnership with our Composition Departmentrepresents a natural extension of that purpose. Aswell as running workshops for our compositionstudents, BCMG players regularly undertake readthroughsof student works, giving young composersinvaluable feedback and the benefit of experiencewithin a professional context. Furthermore, ourcontemporary music group, the Thallein Ensemble(see p81), receives ensemble coaching fromBCMG’s visiting conductors and composers, as wellas BCMG players. www.bcmg.org.ukBirmingham Jazz CollaborationsBirmingham Jazz is the region’s foremost jazzorganisation and a strong supporter of our jazzprogramme and students. Each year ArtisticDirector Tony Dudley-Evans reviews third- andfourth-year students’ performances in order toprovide them with feedback from a professionalpromoter’s perspective and advise on possibleperformance opportunities. This valuable link has inthe past led to the inclusion of several outstandingsenior students in major jazz festivals, such asthe Cheltenham International Jazz Festival, aswell as gigs in and around Birmingham suchas Symphony Hall Foyer, the Jam House andthe mac. Birmingham Jazz also works with theConservatoire to arrange regular masterclasseswith visiting professional artists, as well as freeaccess to many Birmingham Jazz gigs for ourjazz students. Selected students are also invitedto sit on Birmingham Jazz’s committee, wherethey experience programming and managementdecisions first-hand. www.birminghamjazz.co.ukMusic Technology SchemesMusic for MediaWe are currently working in partnership with ourregional development agency Advantage WestMidlands, Sound Control and Apple, on a projectentitled Music for Media. The project helps enablesmall and medium sized screen media companiesbased in the West Midlands to commission originalmusic for a variety of uses, including screen media,interactive media, games and DVD authoring.Music for Media not only calls on the expertise ofour staff, but provides a range of opportunities forcomposition and performance students to gain paidprofessional experience.www.musicformedia.uce.ac.ukNESTAThanks to investment and involvement from NESTA,the National Endowment for Science, Technologyand the Arts, the Birmingham Conservatoire NESTAMusic Technology Scheme supports graduatesfrom a variety of colleges around the UK in startingmusic businesses. This new scheme has createdat the Conservatoire an incubator environmentoffering business advice, office space, affordableaccess to facilities and start-up funding. For moreinformation on NESTA go to www.nesta.org.ukNTIWe have teamed up with Birmingham’s AppleAccredited Training Centre to offer students areduction on all their certified pro application mediacourses, available at the New Technology Institutein Birmingham. To find out more, visitwww.ntibirmingham.co.uk97

External EngagementsOur External Engagements programme offersadvanced students the chance to undertake paidprofessional engagements throughout the Midlandsarea. With advice available on programming,presentation, contracts and fees, these opportunitiescan constitute a vital part of your professionaltraining. For Music Technology students, there isample scope to be involved in recording live concertperformances at the Conservatoire, and thosewishing to learn about and be involved in concertmanagement can join the team of Concert Stewardswho work to ensure the smooth running of internaland external events.International ExchangeAlthough there will be plenty to keep you busy herein the UK, we know study abroad brings enormousbenefits to those who undertake it in terms of bothmusical and personal development. Therefore,we encourage our third-year undergraduatestudents to apply for a three-month exchangewith our SOCRATES / ERASMUS and otherpartner institutions. These include prestigious andinternationally renowned music colleges in Paris,Lyon, Brussels, Weimar, Vienna, Bucharest, Krakow,Oslo, Malmö, Prague and the USA. Many of ourstudents have gone on to successful further study atother international conservatoires and, in particular,the Weingarten Scholarships (see p140) presentfurther opportunities for postgraduate study at theFranz Liszt Academy in Budapest or the KodályInstitute at Kecskemét in Hungary.On a less formal basis, we encourage and supportour senior students to travel to internationalcompetitions and summer schools. We are also acommitted member of the Association Européennedes Conservatoires (AEC), which fosters andsupports staff exchanges and intensive projectsand collaborations between member Europeanconservatoires, such as the 2005 Three CitiesOrchestra. For this project, our orchestral studentsjoined forces with students from Lyon and Frankfurtto present concerts in Lyon’s Auditorium andBirmingham’s Symphony Hall. The mix of home andoverseas students, incoming exchange studentsand visiting international professionals resultingfrom all these international activities makes theConservatoire a musically and culturally stimulatingenvironment in which to learn.98