The music world is vast and endless, and it’s hard to figure out how to enter the industry, but this is where Southern Cross University steps in with their Bachelor of Contemporary Music – making sure students are equipped with the know-how to succeed as creatives.

Whether you’re keen to become an artist, selling out show after show across Australia, or are searching for the knowledge of how to be the behind-the-scenes guru,  going at it on your own, it may seem a bit daunting knowing how to simply enter the music industry, let alone succeed in it.

Luckily, Southern Cross University has a degree program that sets creative students with the precise knowledge needed for dominating the world of music, and creating a long-lasting career – the Bachelor of Contemporary Music.

Offered at both the Lismore and Coomera campuses of Southern Cross University, the Bachelor of Contemporary Music explores the multi-faceted pathway that helps students prepare a portfolio for a future career in music, “whether it’s production, performance, songwriting or other professional areas of the music industry.”

Contemporary music student Clancy Menzies on the sound desk in the recording studio at Southern Cross University’s Lismore campus

Considering they’ve put forth the likes of “award-winning producer Matt Fell, singer-songwriter BUOY, composer and musician Yantra de Vilder, Matt Smith of Thirsty Merc, US country music number-one hit songwriter Phil Barton, as well as Matt Collins, Michael Watson, Scott Finch and Fraser Rojo Perrott of WHARVES,” students are clearly put on the path of success.

While focusing on either studying songwriting, composition, music performance, or even production, students will be immersed in the music scene, and studying in state-of-the-art settings, enabling them to fully hone in on what the music industry is all about, and help them to fine-tune their creativity.

Diving into the degree, all students studying a Bachelor of Contemporary Music at Southern Cross University participate in many collaborative activities where they practice by an “extensive ensemble program includes small and large repertoire-focused groups and student-led project bands.”

By utilising all that is offered in their on-campus recording studios, production labs, performance spaces, and rehearsal studios, students will learn to “write, arrange, rehearse, record and perform a wide range of music, and are encouraged to develop their own creative projects.”

On top of the on-campus facilities, students are taught by lecturers who breathe life to the degree by being practising musicians with strong industry links, meaning that just by learning at Southern Cross University, students are already entering the music industry, and have all the resources available at their fingertips.

Other perks to studying at Southern Cross University while commencing a Bachelor of Contemporary Music is being in the heart of the rich local music scene that both Coomera and Lismore have to offer, including major events such as Splendour In The Grass and the APRA AMCOS songwriters’ workshop.

So, from being taught by top-notch music professionals, and having access to state-of-the-art equipment, Southern Cross University prepares their students for a slew of careers within the music industry such as becoming a “performer, songwriter, producer, sound engineer, music educator, session musician, musical director, music event promoter, band and venue manager,” or even diving into the world of teaching, in combination with a Master of Teaching also offered by the university.

On top of all the great opportunities at Southern Cross University, there’s even more opportunity than ever to dive into the music world as Rolling Stone Australia has partnered up with the university to bring students wishing to study a Bachelor of Contemporary Music a scholarship called the Rolling Stone Music Scholarship.

A student and industry mentor writing and recording music at Southern Cross University’s Coomera campus

With Rolling Stone Australia and Southern Cross University at the helm, together they’re offering young musos a chance to have a scholarship worth a total value of $15,000 across three years, meaning that you’ll not only get off on the right foot with the right studies, but that your financials will be backed, too.

Applications open on the 23rd of December, and close five weeks later on the 31st of January, 2021, and can be completed via a brief questionnaire. The ten best answers will go through to a second round where participants will be asked to submit a long-form response.

Click here to apply