Always look deeper.

This weekend I decided to look at 2 institutions that offer a Diploma in Music Industry.

With this qualification and various others, that I have or are completing, I can teach a Cert IV Music course to high school students. It will also open up the possibility to a number of other opportunities.

So I had a choice of a Government run course (TAFE) or a private, accredited organisation.

My first thoughts were that the TAFE run course seemed better on paper but I would go to the private one to give me a reference, especially since its open day was first and the TAFE one was the day after.

Well to say that my first thoughts were wrong was a complete understatement. From the moment I walked in to the first open day it was professional and everybody knew what they were doing, they were extremely helpful. The presentations left me feeling inspired to go and write something.

They offered the course but they also wanted to assess my performance by organising a band for me to play in and then later organising a gig, in front of a real audience, to assess me. WOW.

Collaboration is part of their mantra. Recording studio access and song writing suits. Opportunities to go to high profile events around Australia and the World.

Song writing as a standalone course or you can do a double major with an instrument. They have scholarships and on and on. How can we make that happen was their focus when I asked them questions?

The next day I went to the TAFE hoping for more of the same. But it could not be more different. In my first conversation I had very specific questions that had come up the day before. But within minutes I was being told no to studio time, outside gigs or even cross collaboration. It was over before it began, they showed me some good equipment and then told me that I couldn’t access it.

Decision made. Not a hard choice. The difference being “How do we make that happen” and “No you can’t do that”.

Watch this space for more updates on my audition and the rest of the journey back to being a student. Enjoy.