ICMP student balances songwriting with community work on NHS frontline

We’re delighted to celebrate the achievements of ICMP’s Jesus Correderas, our second year BA Songwriting student who has completed the academic year alongside working as a NHS nurse. 

Jesus, whose musical talents have seen him named the “Spanish Ian Broudie” by one ICMP tutor, has completed and submitted all assignments on time while working in London on the NHS frontline. 

Our student has been a nurse for seven years, spending the last three at an Intensive Care Unit at London’s Whipps Cross Hospital. 

Commenting, Jesus said: 

I released an album with the band The Hook in 2018 and I'm now focussing on solo material, which will be released later this year. As a nurse, my role is to look after critically unwell patients that require organ support, such as respiratory, cardiac or renal. Although we recently had a huge increase in admissions requiring intubation, these numbers are now starting to normalise. "

Listen to The Hook’s track ‘Lovely Town’:

You can connect with Jesus and his music via his social media profiles on Instagram and Facebook.

Well done to Jesus on his fantastic work both inside and outside the classroom.

Here’s what his tutors had to say about his achievements… 

Dan Green, Teaching Fellow in Popular Music Studies

Jesus is an excellent, dedicated student and his resilience in light of the current situation is in keeping with his character. I expressed my personal thanks to Jesus over the phone earlier in the month "on behalf of a humble nation". I think lockdown delirium was kicking in as I said the latter.   

Gabriel Stebbing, Songwriting Tutor

Jesus is a core member of his songwriting group in terms of his musical contributions and the quality of his feedback, which is detailed and on point - he also prepares the most meticulous one-sheets. 

His songs are hooky and spirited and are steeped in classic British songwriting - he's the Spanish Ian Broudie as far as I'm concerned, no higher accolade in my book."

Adriano Buffone, Songwriting Tutor 

I knew Jesus was on the frontline with the NHS early on but you wouldn’t have known it if he hadn’t have told you. He is always the first to arrive in my class (which started at 9am), always has some very good work to show, always makes some incisive comments and he did this as fresh as a daisy. Knowing he has done all this while working on the frontline with the NHS has been inspirational to me as a teacher. 

Jonathan Whiskerd, Head of Undergraduate Programmes 

Kind, intelligent, sensitive and thoroughly professional in his approach to developing his songwriting. I had no idea about Jesus’s ‘day job’ - but I am not in the least surprised. What a hero! 

Dr Isobel Anderson, Personal and Professional Development Module Leader 

I take Jesus for Personal & Professional Development and in every single class, he brings humour, maturity and sensitivity to both the topics we explore together and his fellow class-mates.

I am not at all surprised that he is stepping up and doing such important work for the Covid19 crisis right now and I know he will be sharing these wonderful qualities in this important work too. Go Jesus!"

Oli Rockberger, Songwriting Tutor 

A talented songwriter/producer. Dedicated and hard-working in his studies, and with a kind and gentle spirit. Tenacious also and quietly determined. I was blown away to learn in an online 1-2-1 supervision that the whole term he had been balancing his music studies while working as a nurse, and that he was currently on the frontline for the NHS in the Covid crisis. And despite these demands, he was still hungry to learn, producing strong work and committed to his music education. I don't remember being more proud of a student. 

From everyone at ICMP, we'd like to congratulate Jesus on his work, we're incredibly proud that you're an ICMP Student.