CAO Month: Choose Something that Interests You

I came across an article about BIMM while I was in Transition Year of secondary school. Once I read it, I knew that I wanted to go there and learn about the music industry. Originally, I was looking at music courses in other colleges but the majority seemed to focus on classical music theory. This wasn’t something I was interested in, as I wanted to learn about the modern music industry. I was always interested in music, from buying tapes and CDs, learning tin whistle and guitar to singing in choirs. Once I saw BIMM, I knew that the possibility of having a career in the music industry was possible, whereas previously it seemed like an unattainable career you could only achieve if you were Rihanna or Paramore.  BIMM shows you all the different career options that are available in the music industry, provides you with the information and training and encourages you to make the connections that will help you to have a career in whatever aspect of the music industry you want to work in.

In my four years in BIMM, I have been able to attend special events, masterclasses and one to one meetings with important music industry professionals. I’ve also made countless contacts with people working in the music scene. I hope to work with these contacts over the next chapter of my life after I finish in BIMM this year.

When applying, you should be aware that there is an audition process which involves performing pieces on your instrument (vocals, guitar, bass, drums) or performing pieces that you’ve written for songwriters. I was so nervous for my audition but once I had finished it, I felt so much better because all the tutors and staff are so lovely. The tutors are all industry professionals and they understand the nerves associated with auditions and they want you to do well. The audition is worth up to 600 points that will be added to your CAO application, which actually made me more relaxed for my Leaving Certificate as I knew I had these extra points.

BIMM is a fantastic environment for anyone interested in the music industry, be it the performance side or the business side. Through my degree I studied performance, music theory, music business, research methods, vocal techniques, song-writing, artist development, cultural theory and digital marketing. If any of those interest you, it’s definitely a course to look into.

The Commercial and Modern Music degree is run by BIMM and validated by Technological University Dublin (T.U.D), formerly D.I.T. As a result, you get the best of a small college (such as smaller class sizes) mixed with the benefits of being part of a larger college, including societies, library services, doctor services and much more.

BIMM is a fantastic place to work on your craft and gear yourself with the tools you need while working in the music industry.