March 11, 2026
Year 10 Students Explore Music Careers at Annual Industry Conference
Twenty of our Year 10 students enjoyed an inspiring day at the annual Young Persons Music Careers Conference held at the 2Funky Café and The Venue. The visit offered pupils a rare opportunity to learn directly from professionals working across the music and performing arts industries.The day opened with a keynote speech by musician and CEO Matt Griffiths who spoke about the power of music to build confidence and transform lives. His talk set an encouraging tone and helped students understand how creative skills can open doors to a wide range of careers.
This was followed by a lively panel discussion featuring experts from across the industry. Pupils heard from Bradley Smith, Ben Martinez who plays guitar for Jessie J, Brendan Gudgeon who is a full‑time army musician, Cara Nolan from Curve Theatre, local professional musician Ayeesha George and composer Sam Nutter. The panel shared their experiences, discussed the variety of roles available and answered thoughtful questions from the students.
The afternoon also focused on leadership within the music industry and encouraged pupils to think about the skills needed to succeed in creative environments. After lunch, they enjoyed a live performance by Queen Millz which added plenty of energy to the day. Students also visited the Industry Expo where they tried new musical instruments, looked through books and magazines and collected a few well‑received freebies.
The event gave pupils a valuable insight into the range of pathways available within the music sector and may well have sparked the ambitions of some future performers, producers or industry leaders.
