2019: What we're looking forward to

We hope you had a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

We’ve already a packed diary for 2019 with our first Open Day of the year taking place on Saturday 5th January as well as a whole host of events as part of Refreshers week kicking off on 14th January.

As we get to work on putting the finishing touches to organising the start of our new term, we asked our students, staff and friends to give their thoughts on what they’re looking forward to in 2019. Check it out…

Nick Gauntlett, ICMP Student President

There's loads of new music and gigs I’m excited about in 2019. Haken (progressive metal band featuring legendary ICMP tutor Charlie Griffiths) are playing at the Islington Assembly Hall on 16th March. Download is back with an incredible line up while there will be new records from Devin Townsend and Opeth. Steve Hackett will also be at the Hammersmith Apollo, doing some classic Genesis tunes as he does. 

Read Nick's guide to studying music in London. 

Scott Colcombe, ICMP Songwriting alumnus

It's funny because with writing and producing music, no one really hears anything you've worked on throughout the year because of release strategies and all the work that happens after finishing the song. So in 2019 I'm looking forward to having everyone hear all the tunes I've been writing and producing in 2018. Maybe then my mum will believe I'm actually working on music stuff!

Read our interview with Scott and his collaborator Sasha. 

Dave Roberts, ICMP Industry Liaison Executive

I'm most looking forward to seeing Idles on tour in April and watching their star shine brighter throughout 2019. I work on them outside of ICMP and believe that they're the most important guitar band in the UK right now. On the face of it they sound like a regular punk outfit but if you delve deeper they tackle important socio-political issues with heartfelt emotion and a sense of joyous unity, all wrapped up in anthemic songs. 

After over 30 years in the music industry and seeing literally thousands of bands I never thought I would experience that spine-tingling feeling from seeing a group at the top of their game again, but Idles deliver that at almost every live show. They will own 2019!

Find out more about ICMP's Careers and Industry Hub. 

Sam Jordan, London Regional Officer, Musicians’ Union

We are looking forward to reaching 150 venues signed up to support our Fair Play Venue scheme, while we continue to promote fair treatment of musicians and opposition to pay-to-play and unfair ticketing deals.

Read Sam's blog on how to prepare for a music industry career. 

Hayley Smith, ITV Music Supervisor 

I've absolutely adored everything that Sigrid has released this year so I'm excited for her debut album in 2019. I'm also really looking forward to festival season, with the line up for All Points East festival especially standing out already!

Read Hayley's blog on how to get a music sync. 

Claire Gevaux, Help Musicians UK, Director of Programmes 

With an increase in calls for help and support, we're looking forward to supporting even more musicians in 2019, as well as advocating for and investing in their health, wellbeing and career development. We look forward to seeing the first Do It Differently Fund awardees bring their development dreams to fruition, as part of our vision to provide a holistic service for our beneficiaries. Finally, we are excited to be a year closer to our centenary in 2021 and also looking forward to welcoming our permanent CEO. 

Read the latest blog from Help Musicians UK on how to access music funding. 

Isobel Anderson, ICMP tutor and artist

In 2019 I’m excited to release a new music video with the Northern Ireland based pro-choice charity Alliance For Choice for my song '_4284_ / I’m A Life'. The song uses words taken verbatim from one woman’s online account of travelling from Ireland to England for an abortion.

The video forms part of the wider campaign #IMALIFE, which also features a limited edition sweatshirt with all proceeds going towards raising awareness of reproductive rights in NI. For more info go to imalife.co.uk

Read our interview with Isobel. 

James Rees, ICMP Deputy Programme Leader for ICMP's BA in Creative Music Production

Mainly, festivals. I’m off to Bilbao for BBK Live festival in July. Weezer are the only confirmed act so far, so that should be fun, it’s the first time I’ve been to a festival abroad since Benicassim in 2011. Also, the choir I sing in Camden Voices are off to sing at Choralies festival in the south of France in early August. This will be the first time we have performed abroad and it will be nice to soak up the French sunshine at the same time. 

Otherwise, I’m looking forward to getting stuck into my Major Repertoire Project for the MA Songwriting course, and maybe releasing some songs later in the year!

Find out more about our Music Production courses. 

The Incorporated Society of Musicians 

Following on from a successful series in 2018, The Incorporated Society of Musicians (ISM) will host a webinar series in February on looking after yourself, presented by British Association of Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM). Four free webinars will cover topics like preventing performance injury and health on tour. Look out for more information at ism.org/webinars.

Read ISM's blog on Saving Music. 

Michael Amadi, BA Songwriting alumnus and award winner

I am working on a lot of projects and music at the moment. I have got some singles that will come out early next year and I am planning some performances in the USA and Asia as well. I am also starting a new collaboration that will take me to Malawi very soon to do some music for some orphanages. It might be a little bit premature to talk about this, so all I can say for now is that 2019 will be for me a year full of new music, performances and interesting projects … so stay tuned!

Read our interview with Michael on his success and watch the video to his track 'Rise Again'.