Activities for Contemporary Musicians
Foundation Programme:
A full place on our Foundation Programme for grant-holding students includes:
- Six KS2 workshops a year
- 1-2-1 mentoring sessions
- Specialist tuition school workshops
- Termly tuition budget (grant-holding students only)
- Exam costs and music accessories budget (grant-holding students only)
We are happy to discuss a bespoke programme of support to suit your available budget.
For further information about our mentoring and tuition school workshops, please scroll down..
KS2 Workshops
Designed for young musicians in Key Stage 2 (school years 3–6), this programme offers practical cross-genre workshops led by experienced music professionals.
These group sessions provide a collaborative space for students to learn, explore, and create music with like-minded peers. While part of a structured programme, each workshop stands alone, allowing students to attend as many sessions as they like.
The students work in small groups to ensure plenty of individual support.
We run six workshops per year. These are one day courses, held at weekends.
This year-long course of six workshops will cost £600 per year for 2025-26 and includes your student membership with South West Music School.
Developing Programme
A full place on our Developing Programme includes:
- Six KS3 workshops a year, inc. 2-day weekend residential course
- 1-2-1 mentoring sessions
- Specialist tuition school workshops
- Access to music production support & workshops
- Access to composition support
- Access to songwriting support & workshops
- Access to additional projects, e.g. conducting
- Termly tuition budget (grant-holding students only)
- Exam costs and music accessories budget (grant-holding students only)
We are happy to discuss a bespoke programme of support to suit your available budget
For further information about our mentoring, tuition school workshops, music production and songwriting activities, please scroll down.
KS3 Workshops
Currently known as our Performance Development Programme (PDP), this programme of workshops is for young contemporary musicians in Key Stage 3 (school years 7–9).
We run six workshops per year. These are one day courses, held at weekends. In the summer term, these two workshops are combined into a mini residential weekend course, working alongside our classical Developing Programme students.
This year-long course of six workshops will cost £750 per year for 2025-26 and includes your student membership with South West Music School.
Advancing Programme
Designed for students in KS4 and KS5.
Students on our Advancing Programme are expected to be working to a minimum standard of Grade 5.
We recognise that not all students sit exams, so we assess ability level through audition videos.
A full place on our Advancing Programme includes:
- 2 intensive residential courses, full board inc.
- 1-2-1 mentoring sessions
- Specialist tuition school workshops
- Access to music production support & workshops
- Access to composition support
- Access to songwriting support & workshops
- Access to additional projects, e.g. conducting
- Termly tuition budget (grant-holding students only)
- Exam costs and music accessories budget (grant-holding students only)
- Access to Trinity Laban A level Music Distance Learning
We are happy to discuss a bespoke programme of support to suit your available budget.
For further information about our mentoring, tuition school workshops, music production and songwriting activities, please scroll down.
For information about the A level music course, please contact us:
KS4/5 Residential Courses
Currently know as our Core Programme, this programme offers a series of stand-alone 2–4 day residential courses during school holidays: October and February half terms, Easter and late July. The cost of each course varies depending on the length and numbers involved. A guideline cost per course is between £250–£750.
These immersive courses bring together like-minded young musicians from across the South West to learn, explore, and create music collaboratively. Students can join one or multiple courses based on their ability and interests. Each course has a musical focus, giving students the opportunity to work alongside top professional musicians and music educators.
Contemporary Tuition School
KS2 – KS5 Workshops
For students aged 8–19 (KS2–5), we deliver tuition school workshops aimed at electric guitar, bass, drums, vocals, and keys students. These contemporary musicians’ activities include 1-2-1 specialist tuition sessions alongside bands ensemble workshops that cover a wide range of genres and styles from Rock, Blues, Ska, Jazz, Latin, and more.
Mentoring
KS2–5 Individual Sessions
We work with a dedicated team of professional musicians and music educators across the wider music industry. Sessions can be arranged as one-off consultancy sessions or as a block, and can address topics to suit your musical interests and needs, from exploring career pathways, conservatoire and university options, specialist areas of academic music interest, and more. They can be held as online video calls or in person.
Music Production
KS3–5 Online Workshops
We deliver regular online music production workshops for beginner and intermediate music production students, as well as 1-2-1 online consultancy sessions for intermediate and advanced students.
Songwriting
KS3–5 Online & In Person Workshops
We deliver regular online and in-person songwriting workshops and residential courses with industry professionals, songwriters and music producers.
