Students tune in for some sound advice from former EMI Chairman
Music and business students at Newcastle University have been queuing up to get advice on how to make it in the music industry from the man behind the success of artists like Robbie Williams, Radiohead, Coldplay, Gorillaz, and Kylie Minogue.Tony Wadsworth, former Chairman and CEO for the UK and Ireland with music giant EMI, has recently been appointed as a Visiting Professor at Newcastle University.The appointment will see Prof. Wadsworth coming to the University several times during the academic year to work with students from the International Centre for Music Studies and Newcastle University Business School. During his first visit, he delivered a lecture to around 50 music and business students, as well as giving a series of one-to-one tutorials.
'A sound educational background is essential in our increasingly complex and challenging business', said Prof. Wadsworth.'The market is undergoing a fundamental shift at present thanks to the digital revolution and I am looking forward to engaging with students on how the music industry is embracing change and experimenting with new business models', he added.
Roger James is studying for a Masters degree in music at Newcastle University, and plays lead guitar with Maybe Myrtle Tyrtle, a six-piece band he formed two-and-a-half years ago with fellow music student, Robbie Humphries. Roger said: 'We've got an album coming out in March next year, and I really want to know what advice Tony can give us about how to approach record companies'.
David Clarke, Professor of Music in the School of Arts and Cultures at Newcastle University, said: 'Tony's appointment builds upon the existing culture of enterprise in the School, which has developed both through the students' own enterprise activities around their bands and other performance, and through our Music Business degree programme module.
'It is a great compliment to the reputation of music education at Newcastle University that an individual with such a high profile within the music industry is so interested in our activities', said Professor Clarke.
Joanna Berry, Academic Director of MBA programmes at Newcastle University Business School, added: 'Tony's unique perspective on the business of music will be very valuable, and I look forward to working with him during his Visiting Professorship'.
For Tony Wadsworth, the appointment also marks a return to his old University. He studied at Newcastle from 1974-77, graduating with a degree in Economics, before going on to work with a series of record labels, both large and small.
