Our Ethos
At The Yorkshire School of Performance and Music, our aim is to offer the highest standard of industry level of training in Performing Arts and Music here in Yorkshire.
Our industry links are second to none with experienced industry staff using their ongoing, up to the minute knowledge in the delivery of modules and lessons, as well as the visiting industry guests who hold one off workshops and even direct performances. Putting you in front of working industry professionals.
The approach at The Yorkshire School of is one of delivering training that is realistic, and not idealistic. Preparing you for the reality of what the industry is like NOW not an ideal of what the industry was. Giving you the tools, knowledge and skills to be able to adapt as the industry develops.
Our degrees have been written by our academic and industry specialists specifically to meet the needs of an ever-changing creative industries landscape and are validated and issued by The University of Bolton.
We offer different pathways including our Foundation Degrees (FdA) which are two years in duration and our BA Honours Top Up degrees, lasting one year. The latter allows students who have already completed an FdA, HND or two years of their existing degree to ‘top up’ with us and get their full degree. However, most of our students stay for the full three years graduating with a full BA Honours Degree in their chosen subject.
We have a passionate commitment to accessibility and inclusion at The Yorkshire School and widening participation is one of our core goals. We welcome and accept applications from everyone, regardless, of age, experience, or physical ability. If in doubt, drop us a line, we’d be more than happy to answer your questions.
If you are passionate about stage and screen and want industry facing, practical and innovative training to makes you ready for the reality of the working in the creative industries in the 21st Century then we await your application.
Performing Arts
The Yorkshire School of Performance and Music degrees in Performing Arts and Performance have been written to prepare students for the reality of the industry and to make our graduates Industry Ready.
We train our students in classical acting techniques, as offered by most drama schools, but unlike most other centres and drama schools, we also prepare students for the reality of working in television and generating their own work and practice, giving them vital writing, producing, directing, teaching, business and entrepreneurial skills.
This highly practical and vocational course with a 70% of the course being practical. The unique course has been designed and is taught by industry insiders with years of experience in TV, Film and Theatre including ITV, BBC, Channel 4, Sky, The Bolton Octagon, The Royal Exchange in Manchester and The Lawrence Batley in Huddersfield. In your final year you will work with a professional, industry director who will cast and direct our major production and you will finish the year with an industry standard showcase.
The programme combines high quality performance training with practice-based learning that will enable graduates to develop the skills and understanding needed to forge a successful portfolio careers in the Performing Arts.
The course tutors respond to the latest industry trends through their own industry experience making sure that all of the teaching is up to date and relevant. From self-taping, self-promotion and content creation and to workshop leading and work experience. The Yorkshire School of Performance and Music degrees will immerse you in the industry by providing opportunities to learn from and work with local, regional and national arts organisations.
Our exciting and innovative process enables and empowers students to generate their own work and build confidence in their ability to tell their own stories in a range of media, both live and recorded. With students creating their own industry facing social media channels on YouTube, TikTok and Insta.
To support the creative process, we ensure that everyone understands the practical aspects of producing work and is empowered to make their artistic visions into an exciting reality.
What You’ll Study
Each year consists of five modules which result in two performances, one each semester as well as developing vital skills such as camera acting technique, writing and producing content, how to fund productions etc.
Year 1
- Creative Industries Context
- Teaching in the Creative Arts
- Specialist Skill 1 (Acting)
- Performance Project 1
- Media Performance.
Example of Year 1 work for Performance Project 1:
- Creative Industries Professional Practice and Entrepreneurship
- Work-based Experience
- Content Creation
- Performance Project 2
- Specialist Skill 2 (Acting)
Example of Year 2 work for Content Creation:
Semester 1: Advanced Creative Practice, Individual Case Study, Freelance Working and Self Employment in the Creative Industries
Semester 2: Independent Project
Music
The Yorkshire School of degrees in Music have been written to prepare students for the reality of the industry and to make our graduates ‘Industry Ready’.
Our aim is to enable our students to prepare for the reality of working in the Music industry, as well as the wider Creative Industries. This is through teaching students the opportunity to develop vital skills in performance and production, as well as business and entrepreneurial skills.
This highly practical and vocational course with around 70% of the course being practical. The unique course has been designed and is taught by industry specialists with years of experience in the music industry as both performers and producers.
In your final year you will work towards an Independent Project which forms a large part of your final grade. This is intended to be a near- professional standard project that could provide you with a springboard into an exciting and growing industry.
The programme combines high quality performance and production training with practice-based learning that will enable graduates to develop the skills and understanding needed to forge a successful portfolio career in the Music industry. Alongside this, students are encouraged to generate their own work and build confidence in their ability to tell their own stories in a range of media, both live and recorded, though creating their own industry facing social media channels on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram.
The course tutors respond to the latest industry trends through their own industry experience making sure that all of the teaching is up to date and relevant. From songwriting, studio recording and live sound and to freelance working and professional practice. The Yorkshire School of Performance and Music degrees will immerse you in the industry by providing opportunities to learn from and work with local, regional and national arts organisations.
Our exciting and innovative process enables and empowers students to build networks with local music providers. We work closely with many local music venues to provide opportunities that will could develop into long term contacts and employment opportunities. Within Bradford, live music has been identified as an area that will be supported by the council, and therefore there are many performance and funding opportunities that are to be taken advantage of and embedded within the programme.
To support the creative process, we ensure that everyone understands the practical aspects of producing work and is empowered to make their artistic visions into an exciting reality.
Performing Arts Facilities
At the The Yorkshire School of Performance and Music we have fully equipped, industry standard spaces for our students, which include performance, rehearsal and classrooms. These spaces can also be booked by students in order to further develop their work.
In Performing Arts and Performance, we have three main spaces we use, one large performance space with sprung dance floor, mirrors, full lighting rig and sound system. A large ‘black box’ performance and rehearsal space, again fully equipped with digital screen, lighting rig and sound system. Finally, we have a state-of-the-art TV studio and control room.
Music Facilities
The music facilities consist of fully equipped practice rooms, including drum kits, amplifiers and PA systems. There is a fully equipped recording studio available, with access to professional standard microphones and recording equipment. Guitars, bass guitars, keyboards and pianos are also available within the music practice rooms.
The Apple Mac suite has 12 computers, all with the latest versions of Logic Pro, Ableton Live and Sibelius Ultimate, as well as access to Ableton PUSH controllers for audio manipulation and composition.
Live sound workshops and performances take place in our theatre space, which has an RCF active PA system, Allen and Heath . QU32 digital mixing desk, industry standard microphones and a professional lighting rig.
Meet the Team
Jenny Skinner, Performing Arts Lecturer
Jenny Skinner is a performance artist and academic born and raised in North Yorkshire. After initially training as a stage actor she moved to studying live art and post-dramatic performance, completing a BA and MA in performance at Leeds Beckett University. Following this she continued her postgraduate research at The University of Leeds, focusing on feminist performance, and returned to Leeds Beckett as a lecturer on their BA Theatre and Performance programme.
Her academic work centres on the use of neo-burlesque within live art to create empowering spaces for cisgender female performers to explore their experiences of sexual violence. She draws from the writings of Debra Ferreday, Deirdre Heddon and Jacki Willson, and cites the work of Lauren Barri Holstein and Lucy McCormick as inspirations for her academic and professional practice.
As well as writing, directing and performing, she has also worked as an academic consultant on Arts Council England funded projects and collaborated on international performances with artists from South Africa, Greece, and Germany. Mostly recently, her full length stage show: ‘This is not a Burlesque Show’ (2021) was featured at the Sibiu International Theatre Festival in Romania.
John Dey, Music Programme Leader
John has a Bachelor of Arts in Music and Popular Music from University of Liverpool and a Diploma in Popular Music and Sound Recording from the internationally renowned Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts, as well as an MA in Visual Arts from Bradford School of Art. He is a well-established lecturer in Music and is responsible for the development and delivery of the Foundation Degree and BA (L6) in Music for the Creative Industries at the Yorkshire School of Performance and Music. His teaching specialisms are Music Performance, Improvisation and Project Development/Professional Studies. John has also worked as an external examiner for Pearson for both A-Level and Higher National Diploma. He is strongly connected to the local music scene and is a member of the Bradford Music Steering Group, which is taking a lead role in the future development of Music within the city.
John’s main recent professional output outside of teaching is as guitarist and director of a successful funk and soul band (Funk Lockers) which has been running for over fifteen years. He has also worked closely with local singer/songwriter James Dey, both as a session performer on guitar/trumpet and through providing additional mixing. One of the tracks he co-mixed and performed on was played on Guy Garvey’s BBC 6 Music show last year, and there has been further airplay on BBC Radio Leeds. He also has experience of professional session musicianship as a trumpet player, performing on the soundtrack for several TV adverts for Vanessa James Music. In addition, he has recently performed on the successful guitarist Dave Brons’ new album, which combines his various influences to produce ‘Lord of the Rings’ inspired Rock.
Nicolas Sykes, Music Lecturer
Nicolas Sykes has worked as a professional performer in the music industry for over ten years. He graduated from the University of Nottingham with a Masters Degree in Music in 2012. Nicolas has performed internationally in a variety of genres and styles. He collaborates regularly with industry professionals such as Richard Armstrong (Music Editor for Film), Tertia May (Artist), Subculture (Music Producer) and Divkid (Modular Synthesis Youtuber). Nicolas also enjoys composing and arranging, with several compositions featuring in TV and Film. He has also previously worked for Trinity College London and currently works with University of Arts London as a Qualification Developer and Senior External Moderator.
Lewis Blofled, Music Lecturer
After graduating in 2015 with a Distinction in his MSc in Music and Sound Technology, Lewis is currently studying for his PhD with the University of York, developing music technology software applications for disability.
As a Producer, Artist and Stage Manager, Lewis worked with range of professional musicians including Courtney Pine, Linton Kwesi Johnson, The Buzzocks, Billy Cobham, Martin Simpson, The Proclaimers, New Model Army, The Levellers, Seth Lakeman, Kate Rusby, The Watersons, Billy Bragg and Toumani Diabate. Lewis is currently focused on producing his own electronic music which he releases on Spotify and Apple music.
A majority of students Lewis has taught have progressed to careers in the music industry with artists including: AJMW, While She Sleeps, Skarlett Riot; Composers for Master Chief, Westworld, The First Purge and Snowpiercer; engineers and managers for Wembley SSE Arena, Recording Studio London, Green King Studios, and a range of freelance and community musicians.
Lewis is currently an external moderator for UAL FE qualifications and HE external advisor for Bournemouth and Poole College.
Profile coming soon.
Our Alumni
Olivia Pentelow
After completing her degree in Performance, graduating with a First Class in 2021, ‘Liv’ auditioned for a part in the upcoming Shane Meadows BBC drama, The Gallows Pole, landing one of the lead roles. Subsequently Liv has signed with United Agents, one of the biggest talent agencies in the UK. An agency that also represents Olivia Coleman, James Corden, Dawn French, Tom Hardy and Ricky Gervais.
Alexey Newton
After completing his degree in Music for the Creative Industries (BA Hons), graduating with first class honours in 2021, Lex has established himself as a freelance sound engineer and musician. He has recently secured a job working as a sound engineer on a production of ‘The Lion King’ at The Alhambra in Bradford. Alongside this he works as a freelance live sound engineer with some well-established local acts. Finally, he has also set up his own recording studio business: ‘Smoke Signal’, which is now taking on clients from around the area. This also provides a home for his own band ‘Motherfungus’, for which he continues to write and develop original material.
Apply Direct
You can apply directly through our website by finding the course you are interested in and clicking the “Apply Now” button.
Apply via UCAS
If you wish to apply via UCAS, you can use the following information:
FdA Performing Arts
UCAS Course Code: W474
Institution Code: B60
BA (Hons) (Top-up) Performance
UCAS Course Code: HO08
Institution Code: B60
FdA Music for the Creative Industries
UCAS Course Code: W311
Institution Code: B60
BA (Hons) (Top-up) Music for The Creative Industries
UCAS Course Code: W310
Institution Code: B60