Europe's first online music degree launches

Aspiring musicians in the UK and Europe can now complete a full Bachelor of Arts music degree online.

The digital music degree, which has been developed by British musical education specialists E-Mu, is available to students from £3500 a year - which is considerably cheaper than the £9000 a year full time students on location-based courses.

The course is run in conjunction with the University of Falmouth, and is the brainchild of the three founders of BIMM, Kevin Nixon, Bruce Dickinson and Sarah Clayman. The trio sold BIMM in 2012, and have established E-Mu since.

"E-Mu provides the alternative," says Nixon. "An affordable degree gained through world class, online tuition. The future of music is digital and so is the future of music education."

Musicians can apply now to E-Mu for courses in guitar, songwriting and music management starting in September 2014, with courses in bass, drums, and vocals to follow.

For more information visit the official E-Mu website.

E-Mu press release

Aspiring Arctic Monkeys and wannabe White Stripes across the UK / Europe are being given the opportunity to sign up to a new digital music degree this week.

Developed by British company E-MU, the degree is the first dedicated online music degree in Europe and offers music students the chance to study for a full Bachelor of Arts (BA) in music, for as little as £3,500 a year.

With cash-strapped UK students currently typically paying £27,000 for location-based degrees, E-MU's guitar, songwriting and music management degrees will cost a total of £9,000 for a full time, two year course - a saving of two-thirds.

As well as paying a third of the cost, students will get one-on-one online tuition with tutors who comprise of professional musicians, songwriters and managers - who have all played, produced and toured with world class artists. The degree can also be studied as a four year, part-time course.

Run in partnership with the University of Falmouth, the degree is the latest venture from the founders of the renowned Brighton Institute of Modern Music (BIMM) Group. The trio, credited with "inventing modern music education in the UK", sold BIMM to private equity in 2012.

The three BIMM founders - Kevin Nixon, Bruce Dickinson, Sarah Clayman - have over 40 hit records, three no. 1 albums and a Brit Award between them, as well as CVs that include top jobs at major record labels.

Kevin Nixon says: "If you look at today's top talent, a huge number of them have found success following quality music education. But the next generation of professional musicians are faced with academic choices they might not want, and prices they can't pay.

"E-MU provides the alternative - an affordable degree gained through world class, online tuition. The future of music is digital and so is the future of music education."

Aspiring musicians can apply now at www.emuedu.com for courses in guitar, songwriting and music management starting in September 2014. These will be followed by courses in bass, drums, and vocals.