Our exclusive student events make full use of our connections within the music industry. These regular sessions are a great opportunity to learn from the best in the business, including up-and-coming artists, professionals and industry legends.
The most inspirational
musicians, performers and professionals
At ICMP London, we hold regular masterclasses, clinics, and workshops featuring some of the most inspirational musicians, performers, artists, songwriters, producers, engineers, entrepreneurs, and behind-the-scenes experts in the music business. These fantastic opportunities to learn from those who have achieved success are not to be missed, and form an invaluable complement to your chosen music course.
Keep scrolling to meet some of the peerless professionals who've come to our campus for exclusive sessions, and learn more about our comprehensive events programme.
WORLD-CLASS GUITARISTS
We host regular masterclasses and workshops featuring some of the industry’s most legendary guitarists, as well as expert session players. Our extensive guestlist has included Luca Faraone (Stormzy), Matt Allen (Rita Ora), ICMP alumnus and acoustic virtuoso Jon Gomm, Nate Notes (Bree Runway), Phil Campbell (Motörhead), Isabel Torres (Declan McKenna) and more.
PAUL TURNER & ROB HARRIS (JAMIROQUAI)
As key members of the Grammy Award-winning, multi-platinum-selling ensemble Jamiroquai, Rob and Paul have decades of knowledge and experience to share on recording, writing, session work and touring. Rob, who has been part of Jamiroquai since 2000, has also worked as a touring guitarist for Kylie Minogue, Take That, and many others. Paul, a highly sought-after bassist, has worked with top-selling artists like Annie Lennox, Tina Turner, Bryan Ferry and Tom Jones.
During an incredible ICMP masterclass, Rob and Paul offered expert guidance and priceless insights into the music industry.
GUTHRIE GOVAN (FEATURED GUEST)
Guthrie is a long-time friend of ICMP, and we’ve welcomed him to our London campus on many occasions for masterclasses and clinics. As one of the industry’s most impressive electric guitar virtuosos, he’s renowned for his mastery of rock, jazz and blues, and is equally at home touring with rock supergroup Asia and grime artist Dizzee Rascal. Guthrie has even worked with film composer Hans Zimmer on scores for films including X-Men: Dark Phoenix, The Boss Baby, and 2019’s The Lion King, and toured as part of Zimmer’s live band. His ICMP events are not to be missed.
EXPERT BASSISTS
Some of the world’s greatest bassists have given masterclasses, 1-2-1s and more at ICMP, from Yolanda Charles (Robbie Williams) to Neil Fairclough (Queen & Adam Lambert), Sandy Beales (One Direction), Vicky Warwick (Charli XCX), Janek Gwizdala (John Mayer), Laurence Cottle (Eric Clapton), Michael League (Snarky Puppy), Marla Kether (Loyle Carner) and more.
DIVINITY ROXX (BEYONCÉ)
As Beyoncé’s bassist and musical director, Divinity has a solid understanding of life on the road with a musical superstar. She’s headlined Glastonbury as a member of Queen Bey’s all-female backing band, performed at the White House for President Obama, and has appeared on Saturday Night Live, Ellen, and at the Grammy Awards. She’s also collaborated with artists including Patti LaBelle, Will.i.am and Erykah Badu. Divinity has connected with ICMP many times over the years, offering advice on how to succeed as a session musician.
ICONIC DRUMMERS
We’ve welcomed many great drummers to ICMP for special masterclasses and events, including Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater), Mark Guiliana (David Bowie), Ash Soan (Adele), Matt Brooks (Raye), Jaz Kayser (Jorja Smith), Affy Green (Pet Shop Boys) and Jamiel Blake (Sam Smith), and world-touring virtuosos such as Thomas Lang and Anika Nilles.
CHAD SMITH (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS)
As the drummer for the Red Hot Chili Peppers since 1988, Chad hardly needed an introduction when he arrived at ICMP. A founding member of the band (who were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012), Chad is also known for his extensive charity work and passion for supporting young musicians. He’s also the drummer for hard rock supergroup Chickenfoot, and the all-instrumental outfit Chad Smith’s Bombastic Meatbats. During his inspirational visit, Chad talked about his passion for drumming, gave advice about the music industry, and explained why music education is vitally important in developing well-rounded professional musicians.
MATTY BROWN & LEVI YARDE (STORMZY)
Fresh, super-talented, and in high demand, Levi and ICMP alumnus Matty are not just performing regularly with some of the biggest names in the country but also building shows for them. Matty has worked with the likes of Ellie Goulding, Sugababes, Olly Murs or Zara Larsson and is currently the Musical Director for Stormzy. Levi shared the stage with Stormzy, D-Block Europe or Emeli Sande and is currently the Musical Director for Aitch. They have headlined the biggest Festivals in the country including Glastonbury, Reading & Leeds, Parklife, Wireless and All Points East.
CELEBRATED VOCALISTS
Our long list of past vocal guests includes Lauren Johnson (Ella Eyre), Izzy Chase (Dua Lipa), Salena M (Rita Ora), Vula Malinga (Lalah Hathaway), Sharleen Hector (Alicia Keys), Ladonna Harley Peters (Adele), Cleveland Watkiss (Stevie Wonder), Mike Hough (James Arthur), Angel Silvera (Gorillaz), Kelli-Leigh (1+ Billion Streams), and many more.
SARAH BROWN (FEATURED GUEST)
Sarah is one of the world’s most in-demand vocalists, and has worked with Pink Floyd, Duran Duran, George Michael, Stevie Wonder, Simply Red and Roxy Music. Her vocal experience has deep roots in choir singing, which gave her the skills she needed to drive her amazing success as a session singer. Sarah has been a member of Simple Minds for over a decade, and regularly records and tours. Sarah unpacked her extraordinary career during a special online masterclass, engaging in a fascinating conversation with ICMP Vocals tutor Lucinda Allen and drawing on her wide-ranging knowledge of the music industry.
RENOWNED PRODUCERS
From Sylvia Massy (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Bernard Butler (Duffy) to Youth (Guns N' Roses), Steve Lillywhite (U2), Goetz Boenhardt (Dido), Gary Katz (Steely Dan), Mark Ralph (Clean Bandit) Craig Silvey (Florence + The Machine) and Steph Marziano (Hayley Williams), we’ve been proud to host sessions with some of the most notable names in music production.
AAMIR YAQUB (FEATURED GUEST)
Aamir has worked with some of the biggest names in the music industry – including David Guetta, Ne-Yo, Will.i.am, Alicia Keyes and Sia – as a producer, engineer, and songwriter, and even won a Grammy for his engineering work on Rihanna’s album Unapologetic. A passionate supporter of local artists, Aamir also mentors up-and-coming talent. He shared his amazing experiences, success, and insights into the world of production and engineering during a special ICMP masterclass, and also discussed his inspiration and influences inside and outside the studio.
DISTINGUISHED ENGINEERS
Mandy Parnell (Björk), Ramera Abraham (Little Mix), Daniel Moyler (Dua Lipa), Isabel Gracefield (Tom Walker), Phil Harding (Kylie Minogue) and Riccardo Damian (Mark Ronson), are just a few of the incredible engineers who’ve given masterclasses and other events at ICMP’s London campus.
ANDREW SCHEPS (FEATURED GUEST)
Andrew is one of our favourite supermixers here at ICMP, and our students have gained essential mixing, engineering, and production knowledge from him over the years. He’s best known as a three-time Grammy Award winner for his work on Adele’s 21, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Stadium Arcadium, and Ziggy Marley’s Fly Rasta, and has also mixed albums for Jay-Z, Metallica, Beyoncé, Lana Del Rey, Black Sabbath, U2, Justin Timberlake, Michael Jackson and Lady Gaga. His ICMP masterclass covered essential advice for new music producers, while his guidance on studio gear and technology is a must-view for all budding engineers.
MANON GRANDJEAN (FEATURED GUEST)
Award-winning engineer and mixer Manon Grandjean started her career working in renowned studios across London with multi-award-winning songwriter/producer Fraser T Smith. Together they worked on Brit-winning albums such as Stormzy's Gang Signs & Prayer and Dave’s Psychodrama. Manon is now freelance mixing and mastering in her own studio, working with artists such as AJ Tracey, Nao, Flo and Cat Burns. So far she has been involved in six UK number 1s and 17 top 10s and received three MPG Awards including 'Mixer of the Year 2022' and 'Engineer of the Year 2018'.
INSPIRING ARTISTS
ICMP students have learnt directly from the likes of Frank Turner, Tom Grennan, Jack Garratt, ELIZA, Lianne La Havas, Grace Carter, Newton Faulkner, JC Stewart, Hamzaa, Nina Nesbitt and Bruno Major through masterclasses, 1-2-1s and other events.
NAO (FEATURED GUEST)
One of Britain’s most exciting young singer-songwriters, Nao blends electronica, funk, soul and R&B into an eclectic, highly contemporary sound with deep roots. She has been nominated for a Grammy and the Mercury Prize, released two studio albums, and has co-writing credits on tracks by Ariana Grande, Stormzy and Nile Rodgers & Chic. As a former music teacher and live session singer, she’s also been involved in the 3T initiative, which equips black women with skills for working in the live music industry. Joining ICMP for an exclusive online masterclass in 2020, Nao reflected upon her impressive career and industry experience, pulling out insights along the way.
ESTEEMED SONGWRITERS
Our extensive songwriting guestlist has included Ralph Murphy (Shania Twain), Grammy Award-winning artist-songwriter Drew Ramsey, Willie Weeks (BTS), Fiona Bevan (Ed Sheeran), Nicky Brown (Roy Orbison), Michelle Escoffery (Tina Turner), Jordan Gray (award-winning comedian), and singer-songwriters Baby Queen, Orla Gartland, Emily Burns and Matilda Mann.
CATHY DENNIS (FEATURED GUEST)
With writing credits on eight UK number one pop singles, including Britney Spears’ “Toxic”, Kylie Minogue’s “Can’t Get You Out of My Head”, and Katy Perry’s “I Kissed A Girl” to name but three, Cathy is undoubtedly one of the UK’s powerhouse songwriters. A Grammy win; five Ivor Novello Awards; collaborations with the Spice Girls, Kelly Clarkson, Galantis, S Club 7 and Celine Dion; and the UK music industry’s 'Woman of the Year' Award still only scrapes the surface of Cathy’s achievements. Her outstanding career and songwriting insights were central themes of her very special ICMP masterclass.
SNARKY PUPPY (FEATURED GUESTS)
New York-based contemporary jazz collective Snarky Puppy’s ties to ICMP couldn’t be stronger – ICMP Songwriting tutor Bill Laurance is one of its founding members! The highly respected group have won three Grammy Awards, and performed with the likes of Justin Timberlake, Snoop Dogg, Lalah Hathaway, David Crosby and Erykah Badu. Snarky Puppy have consistently returned to ICMP over the years, with Bill and band bassist Michael League hosting multiple masterclass sessions covering composition, arranging, musicianship, improvisation and songwriting. Their three-day on-campus residency in 2012 culminated in a live gig at London venue Cargo.
MUSIC BUSINESS LUMINARIES
Success in the music industry requires an in-depth understanding of the business itself. Our events have enabled ICMP students to learn directly from such industry specialists as Julian Palmer (A&R Director, Columbia Records), Char Grant (A&R Director, 0207 Def Jam Records), Jamie Oborne (Founder of Dirty Hit Records), Jamila Scott (Senior A&R Manager, Warner Music), Stacey Tang (Managing Director, Columbia Records), Adele White (Senior A&R Manager, Island Records), Seven Webster (Founder and Owner 7pm Management) and Darryl Parkinson (Senior A&R Manager, Warner Chappell Publishing).
DARCUS BEESE (CEO, ISLAND RECORDS)
Named one of the most important people in the British music industry for several years running, A&R legend Darcus Beese has a string of high-profile signings to his name, including Amy Winehouse, Jessie J, Florence + the Machine, Mumford & Sons and Dizzee Rascal. During an exclusive keynote address at ICMP, Darcus explored his ascent from the Island Records promotions department to his later positions as A&R Director, Co-President, President and CEO. He is truly an expert on breaking into the music industry, and was even awarded an OBE for his services to the British music business by the Queen in 2014.
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