Music courses in Kent | K College | Largest College in Kent

MUSIC COURSES

Our Music courses are designed for those wanting to perform or stay behind the scenes, giving you plenty of opportunities to be involved in gigs across the year at a variety of different venues. The delivery of the courses also focuses on realistic and relevant progression to give you the best start in your future career.

MEET THE TEAM

Jared Hazelby

Jared Hazelby
Course Leader, Access to Music Level 3B
(Guitar, Music Theory, Composition, Rehearsal Skills)
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Works Monday - Thursday

Jared has been playing guitar for over 20 years. In that time He has performed with several bands and recording artists. He has appeared at some of the country’s premier performance venues including Ronnie Scott’s, The Jazz Café and radio appearances for the BBC. He currently runs his own function band and is involved in several writing & recording projects with an album scheduled for completion soon. His musical influences are many and varied and include Blues, Country, Folk, Rock & Roll, Gospel, Soul, Funk, Latin, Jazz & Rock.

Andy Vickery

Andy Vickery Joint Course Leader, Access to Music Level 2
(Guitar, Music Theory, Musicianship Skills, Rehearsal Skills)
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Works: Monday - Friday

Andy joined the team 3 years ago. His experience covers all the different aspects of the music industry such as work in function bands, original bands, TV productions, composing and recording. His television appearances include the David Jason production - “The Final Quest” 2005 and Nick Moran Production - “Telstar” 2007). He performed live with “Matt Berry” on Charlie Brooker’s screen play (BBC4). His composing experience includes library music albums released world wide (“Rock” on Boosey Media and “Hard Rock Extreme Metal” on Cavendish Music). He also recorded and played with legendary drummer Simon Philips (Toto, Jeff Beck, The Who) in Los Angeles, Ray Russell (Tina Turner, Paul McCartney), Geno Washington and Mo Foster. He regularly plays, records and tours for the Comedian Matt Berry (the Mighty Boosh, Garth Marenghi’s Dark Place, The IT Crowd…). He has 3 UK tours under his belt with performances in 1000 capacity venues, such as London ULU, Shepherds Bush Empire and Carling Academies throughout England. He has featured in the world wide guitar magazine “Total Guitar” and was labelled as “one of the most inventive young guitarists around”. He won the Ernie Ball Guitarist of the Year award in 2006 in the Rock/Metal category. Andy also has a wide understanding of many styles such as Jazz, Soul, Funk, Rock and acoustic genres. At the age of 16 he studied music at West Kent College (now K College) and gained a lot of knowledge that is needed as a player in the music industry. He is an approachable person and is always willing to help.

Donna Rudd

Donna Rudd Joint Course Leader, Access to Music Level 1
(Vocals, piano, Music Theory, Composition, Rehearsal Skills)
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Works: Monday - Thursday

Donna has been teaching at K College for 4 years. She specialises in Vocal Technique but also teaches Music Theory, Composition, Sequencing and Production and Piano Skills. She has been a professional singer and songwriter for 10 years, performing around London and the South East, and in New York with music management company Morning Star. Currently she is running an acoustic songwriters night in London. She also performs regularly in a jazz acoustic type duo, a function band and solo. She is also in the process of recording an album that is soon due for release.

Glenn Dallender

Glenn Dallender Joint Course Leader, Access to Music Level 1
(Vocals, Music Theory, Composition, Rehearsal Skills, Music History, Functional Skills)
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Works: Monday - Wednesday & Friday

Glenn was born in 1959, and has been involved in music most of his life, from performing as a boy soprano at junior school to starting his first punk band at the age of sixteen. He got his first record deal at nineteen, and has stayed involved in music ever since. He has been teaching singing from the age of twenty five, and is still an active songwriter and session musician. Glenn is an experienced special needs teacher, and runs the Open Door Music Group at K College, for students interested in music who have disabilities or are unable to access Level 1 qualifications. The group performs regularly at Music Department events.

Joe Gibson

Joe Gibson Visiting Lecturer
(Guitar, Musicianship Skills, Rehearsals)
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Works: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday

Joe Gibson has been a professional musician for 15 years. He has performed and worked with artists including James Brown, Charlotte Church, Corinne Bailey Rae, Jamie Cullum and Altered Images at venues including Cafe de Paris, 606 Club, Pizza Express Dean St. Jazz Club, Ronnie Scott's, Queen Elizabeth Hall and Edinburgh Festival.

Richard Simmons

Richard Simmons Visiting Lecturer
(Piano/ Keyboard, Rehearsals)
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Works: Monday, Tuesday

Richard Simmons has been both a teacher and a professional musician for many years. He started playing jazz piano in the 1960's, and has since toured extensively in Europe and the US. He has always favoured a broad approach to music and his playing encompasses a wide range of styles including R 'n' B, Soul, Funk, Blues, Gospel and, of course, Jazz. This versatility has enabled him to work with artists as varied as Harry "Sweets" Edison and Scotty Moore, and, more recently, Hamish Stuart: he is currently working with songwriter Graham Lyle.

Ian Gobel

Ian Gobel Music Department Technician
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Works: Mon-Fri

Ian studied technical theatre at North West Kent college. He then moved on to an agency called Crew-Co which involved working at many venues in and around London, assisting many sound and lighting production companies setting up and taking down all manner of lighting, sound and staging equipment. In 2001 he started at the Butlins resort in Minehead which gave him the opportunity to work with many live bands ranging from cover bands playing all the classic pop and rock through to big names such as Edwin Starr, the Real Thing and many others. In 2005 he started work at West Kent College (now K College), where he now looks after the technical needs of the whole Performing Arts curriculum area. He also runs a small sound company in his spare time, providing PA systems for all kinds of events.

Elliot

Level 2 in Performing Musician

Elliot and his parents spent time carefully choosing the course he would enjoy doing after school, before deciding on the Level 1 in Performing Musician in Tonbridge. Elliot has since progressed onto the Level 2 and thinks he’s found “the perfect college”. “The course is really, really exciting, fascinating; we play in a band and we perform gigs in local areas, it’s really fun. It’s different from school, it’s everything I always wanted to learn”. Elliot has been playing the guitar for several years before learning bass at College. He keeps an open mind as to his future, but would like to start his own band some day.

testimonials

Paul Rippengal

"Throughout my studies at the College music department my guitar playing and general musicianship improved immensely. I was introduced to many great artists that I may not have found independently, some of whom have heavily influenced me. There is a great sense of community within the music department and all of the teachers are very inspirational.

As well as improving my instrumental skills and music theory knowledge, the history lessons gave me a chance to learn the historical and cultural significance of music such as Soul, Funk, Progressive Rock and Jazz. These lessons also helped me discover and express my own political views about important topics such as racism, capital punishment, religion and economic issues.

I believe that my studies here have helped me to refine my guitar skills and performance techniques, whilst broadening my overall knowledge and appreciation of music."

Charlotte Jacobs

"I was at the College for 5 years and I really enjoyed my time there. There was always something interesting to do and there was a constant supply of support from all of the tutors. The lessons were always well planned and interesting and there was never a dull moment in the music department. I found that being a music student at the College was very beneficial as most of the course was practical based, so there were lots of chances to expand on gigging experience and to improve skills on your instruments. I am now looking forward to pursuing my career as a singing teacher and as a vocalist. I would really recommend the music courses at the College. If you want to make friends, improve on your instrument skills, learn about a wide range of music genres and have a great deal of fun then this is the course for you."

Jamie Hayes

“Before i started the music course I was shy and lacked confidence, this course with the help of the staff brought me out of my shell. Without this course I would not be the person I am today. I learnt a lot in the process but unlike any other course this one felt like a family, we all looked out for each other which helped a lot towards making music together. All the teachers were great and really put themselves out for every individual on the course and Julie was my mentor, she is exceptionally inspiring and influential within the msuic world. If you join this course you are guaranteed to succeed and you will never forget the truly amazing experience that is K college music!”

Matt Bennie

"The last three years of group and private tuition at the College have shaped the musician I have become today. If it were not for the music staff at the College I simply would not be a musician. Everything I have learnt to date I have to thank my personal tutors for; James Sedge and Julie Parker. All the other members of staff have also really helped me in many ways. During my time at West Kent College (now K College) the music department have helped me achieve so many skills. To mention but a few, I have learnt:

Transcribing skills
I can read music fluently
I can successfully communicate with a band when writing and rehearsing songs
I know what it takes to set up a business
Performance skills
Stylistic awareness skills
Writing skills
Recording skills
Critical analysis skills
Teaching skills
Instrumental skills
Computer skills

And so many more! Because of my training I currently play in seven function bands which I play many different styles of music in including genres such as jazz, funk, soul, Motown, blues, rock and many more. I also play in two original acts that have had great success over the last year. During this time I have played at the three leading music venues in Tunbridge Wells including: a headlining slot at the Trinity Arts Centre, Support act for the Kinks at the Assembly Hall and a regular performer for the Paul Dunton evening at the Grey Lady. I also perform around the country in venues and bars and many festivals including Lounge on the Farm and Gaza Stock. Because of the skills I have learnt my phone does not stop ringing. All my function bands are very successful and I’m looking into setting up my own music agency. My tutors have also given me enough confidence in my playing to start teaching. I currently teach at Bradbourne School in Sevenoaks (soon to be Knole Academy) and I’ve got very high hopes of getting peripatetic work at Hayes Brook School. Going to the College was the best decision I could have made three years ago, I have no regrets at all and I can’t say thank you enough to the members of staff that have made me what I am today. Thank you!"

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