Return of music collaboration between Hereford College of Arts and the Royal National College for the Blind

HEREFORD / AGILITYPR.NEWS / November 20, 2023 / After navigating the challenges posed by the global pandemic and overcoming the hurdles of studio relocation, the Audio Music Production team at the Royal National College for the Blind (RNC) are delighted to announce the return of Year 2 Extended Diploma Music students from Hereford College of Arts (HCA) to record at the new Eveson Audio Music studio.

The collaboration between HCA and RNC provides a unique opportunity for HCA Music students to work in a world-class studio alongside RNC students who are training for a variety of music industry roles such as music producers, recording engineers and mixing engineers. 

Currently, 35 students are enrolled in Year 2 of the HCA Music course, of which band formation is a key component. Each week one of the bands heads to the Eveson studio to record their music. This week, the spotlight was on ‘Band from the Aux’ who are Mia (singer), Martha (bass), Courtney (piano), Tara (guitar), and Jay (drums). They were in the studio recording the drums for their rendition of Celeste’s track, ‘Stop the flame’.

Graham Smith, HCA Music Lecturer, expressed the significance of this collaborative effort, stating: 

It’s a really valuable opportunity to collaborate in a professional environment with the RNC staff and students. The experience not only enhances the students’ skills but also provides them with exposure to the dynamics of a real-world recording studio.’

From the RNC perspective, it gave RNC students, Emma and Joe, a chance to work with musicians in a professional environment, allowing them to develop their skills in real-world scenarios. It’s an opportunity for them to work with real musicians, hone their musical direction, and get to grips with planning, scheduling and working within a timeframe. 

Graham Wilde, Teacher in Charge of Audio Music Production at RNC, said:

‘The HCA recording Sessions offer students the opportunity to work in a fast-paced recording environment.  Developing their knowledge, skills and invaluable interpersonal skills.  It’s great to see both sets of students working as a team in a creative atmosphere.’

Both colleges look forward to further strengthening this unique partnership, fostering creativity, and providing invaluable learning experiences for all involved. 

If you would like to find out more about the courses mentioned, please visit the following links:

Hereford College of Arts

UAL Level 2 Diploma in Music, Performance and Production Arts (Music)

https://www.hca.ac.uk/course/level-2-diploma-in-music

UAL Level 3 Diploma and Extended Diploma in Music, Performance and Production Art (Music)

https://www.hca.ac.uk/course/diploma-in-music

Royal National College for the Blind

RLS Level 2 and Level 3 Certificate / Subsidiary Diploma in the Creative Music Industry

https://www.rnc.ac.uk/audiomediaproduction.aspx