In some cases, it’s a question of making people aware that these instruments exist and giving them a go. “They’ll be taking part in arts festivals, education work, or working in the informal sector as leaders and animateurs with organisations such as Youth Music Singers may join a music theatre group. Which instrument students choose can also be important in determining how easy it will be for them to get work. The saying, “If you own a bassoon you can make a living; if you can play it you can make a fortune,” still stands today.

In contrast, if you play the violin or flute, competition is fierce.. One of the fastest growing areas for professional musicians is education and community music. We don’t want to dilute the depth of any of our courses – we are still training first-rate performers and composers. But we want to make sure the breadth is there, too.”Gone are the days when the traditional career path after graduating was to apply for auditions with a symphony orchestra or, in the case of a singer, with an opera company.

The world students will move into today is far more diverse, as is the type of music they’ll be expected to play. “Today, the context in which students will deliver their skills is much more widely based,” says Henderson. The Academy is also developing an e-learning programme to inspire potential music enthusiasts worldwide, from Tower Hamlets, London to Harlem, New York.Involvement in the community is vital as part of students’ preparation, says Richard Shrewsbury, the education manager at Birmingham Conservatoire. “Musicians must have more than one string to their bow if they’re going to be employable.

All students take part in the Academy’s Music in Community projects to gain expertise in animateurship (working with people of all ages on music-making schemes) and workshop leadership, a skill they will need when they graduate. This year, the college has linked up with Greenwich and Lewisham music services to launch an outreach programme called Raising the Roof, which will send musicians to schools in the area, as well as providing music-making and performance opportunities. A growing proportion of students’ time is now spent making music in local communities, prisons, hospitals and schools, and they’re as likely to be playing jazz, rap and folk music as the traditional classical repertoire. There are high hopes that cellos and trumpets will head south down Creekside to Laban, while Lycra-clad dancers will take a trip in the opposite direction, looking to collaborate with musicians at Greenwich. It promises to be an exciting and enriching time for students, teachers and residents alike..