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Fast-Track Diploma Course - Fri 6th Sept.2024-Book Now!Hi-spec Degree Programme- Sept 23rd 2024- Book Now! FREE Taster Session - Book Now!Hi-spec Degree Programme- Sept 23rd 2024 -Book Now!Fast-Track Diploma Course - Fri 6th Sept 2024-Book Now!FREE Taster Session - Book Now!
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Founded in 1982 by local musicians and the local Rock Against Racism activists, our aim was to create a professional space for musicians in the community to engage with the exciting new world of music production technology. In our fortieth year, IMW Campus now has a full-on professional recording studio and live room plus a Music Tech lab showcasing a range of cutting edge technology and software.


We have a 48 channel Solid State Logic (SSL) DUALITY SE and AWS 900 both running ProTools HD, plus an SSL Matrix production/controller with 15 individual SSL Nucleus work-stations controlling Ableton, Logic Pro Native Instruments and Pro Tools .


No other institution in the UK (anywhere in the world?) can offer you professional Music Production and Sound Recording courses at this level of technology at this price!


Because its not enough to just have the big technology we also have a professional studio environment designed and built by world renowned Munro Acoustics. Sound check- some colleges have the technology but poor listening conditions! If you haven’t got the ears you
don’t make the cut!


Our fantastic profession teaching staff all have extensive experience in the music industry having worked at top international studios with world renowned producers and engineers.
You can see from their CV’s that they are an enormous resource of knowledge and technical know-how for students to be confident that what they are learning is based in solid industry practice.


For over twenty years we have partnered with local colleges to provide students with a fast track opportunity to gain a professional Diploma level qualification in Music Technology and Sound Recording. This qualifies students to study for a Higher Education qualification and an internationally recognised University Degree at the end! We are now very excited to be partnering the University of East London in a new Degree programme in Music Production, Sound Recording and Sound for Picture and Games.


Our student family are into every kind of music. Some are exploring the technology for the first time. Others are already into it but need to enhance their skills. Like IMW graduate, Paul Epworth who went on to Produce Rihanna, Florence and the Machine, Maximo Park and with Adele wrote and produced the 2nd biggest selling album of all time and won an Oscars, 5 Grammies and Producer of the Year awards.


Others secured work at top recording companies and studios including: BBC and Sony in the UK and Pacific OceanPost, Disney and Microsoft in the US. Our graduates have engineered platinum hit singles and albums or gone on to create, mix or re-mix their own tracks and engineer live gigs. Many have gone on to our Higher Education programme and are really getting to grips with our fantastic SSL technology and recording environment.


So everything about the course, from the people you will meet, the top quality training and facilities, to the qualification you end up with, means that this is a fantastic opportunity for you to invest in your future!

Our Core Team

john Director
Founding Director
While John was completing his M.A. at the Royal College of Art he became active in the Rock Against Racism campaign promoting a massively successful “Nazis are No Fun” gig at the college. It was this event that started John on a journey with a full-time role in the national RAR campaign, working with artistes like; The Clash, Aswad, Elvis Costello and Steel Pulse plus many more national and local bands. His experience of this work brought him to the realization that opportunities for music makers in the community, to play and record their music, were very limited and the need for access to profession facilities was critical. Together with local musicians and RAR activists, John set about establishing Islington Music Workshop (IMW Campus) as an educational charity working to promote local music makers using state of the art technology and facilities.
John Dennis
2 sheryll
Trustee
Sheryll is Co-Director of ActionSpace, a visual arts organisation that supports learning disabled artists to pursue and progress professional careers. She has worked in the cultural sector for over 30 years and has a personal and professional interest in supporting the development of creative practices. Sheryll is also a Trustee of Outside In and a Member of the Partners Board supporting the Mayor of London’s Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm
Sheryll Catto
IMG_20220518_175523
Course Director
Colin leads our team of tutors and has over 20 years experience of teaching and inspiring music makers in the art of Music Production and Sound Recording. He has worked as a Freelance Sound Engineer & Producer in the UK for over fifteen years. In that time he worked with numerous artists & projects including some notable ones like: Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros, Paul Weller, Jah Wobble (Public Image Ltd), Miss Dynamite, Junior Delgado, Fat Boy Slim, The Smashing Pumpkins, Adamski, Van der Graff Generator, Corner Shop, The Ordinary Boys, Hundred Reasons, Roots Manuva, Black Twang and Goldie to name but a few.
Colin Smith
4 Spiro
Tutor and Technical Support
Spiro has worked with IMW as tutor and technical wizard for over 15 years. He brings with him the massive experience of working internationally for the likes of RECORDPLANT RECORDING, HOLLYWOOD, USA and Metropolis Studios and Soul ll Soul studios in London.
Spiro Darmanin
5 Mary
Trustee
Mary is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Music with a long and varied career in Music Education. As Head of Music at City and Islington College, she wrote and set up several BTECs in Music Technology and Popular Music. Mary became Head of School for Music, Media, Art and Design and Performing Arts at South Thames College and was an Additional Inspector for Ofsted and a consultant for Adult Education at Wandsworth Council. She is currently increasing her repertoire on the piano, teaching and leading sessions, as a volunteer at a local care home for people with dementia.
Mary Zinovieff
7 Moses
IMW Tutor
Moses has a very wide industry experience working on commercial projects; creating original soundtracks, mixing film audio, song writing, creating demos and large format analog tracking and mixing sessions for Labels and artistes including: Sensible, SARM, Metropolis Management, Atlantic Records, Mr Easy, Birdy and various others.
Moses Bogarde
6 Luli
Administrator
Luli will probably be the first person you meet at IMW. From your first question all the way through to graduation, you will be guided and supported. We pride ourselves on a diverse and dynamic student population. Some may not have studied at College for a while and the process may seem daunting. The aim is to assist you with your student ‘paperwork’ so that you can focus on your Music Production training and development. Luli has a background in the creative and performing arts and went on to train in Academic Registry techniques at Central Saint Martins College of Art, UAL, before joining the team at IMW in 2008. If you have a question about facilitating your production training, Luli will be usually your first port of call. If we do not already have the guidance you need, we will find it for you.
Luli Segal
ElvisD-Pic
Trustee
Born a Ghanaian in Koforidua, Elvis arrived in UK 1984 and continues to live in UK as a British Citizen. He obtained a Degree in Information Science and Technology in University of North London on 4th July 1995. As a msician he recorded High-life Music from Ghana and released albums on vinyl including 'Osofo Mako' (recorded in IMW), 'Odo Lecture', 'Odo Nsa Da' and 'Esther' (remixed onto on CD). Elvis worked in IT as System's Analyst and IT Manager in ISSB Ltd until 2012. A member of the Board of directors of Islington Music Workshop.
Elvis Donkor
wilf
Chair of Board of Trustees
Wilf is a Co-Founder of Islington music Workshop and has been chair of the Board of Trustees for over 35 years. Wilf initially got involved with the workshop through his involvement with the National Rock Against Racism Campaign and through promoting local RAR concerts in Islington, where he lived, at venues including the Hope and Anchor in the late 1970's Wilf worked for the TUC as Race Equality officer for 20 years and also worked as a trade union official for public sector union UNISON for fifteen years. During his career worked for over ten years with young people and was committed to finding ways that young working class musicians realize their creative talents through having access to high quality teaching and recording facilities. Together with John and with Trustees and staff he has worked to ensure that Islington Music workshop has stayed at the forefront of providing high quality music education that provides IMW students with the skills to go on to have successful careers in music engineering
Wilfred Sullivan
Chair of Board of Trustees
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