WEYDON’S GCSE music students were delighted to welcome the University for the Creative Art’s Dr Harry Whalley as guest speaker.

Dr Whalley leads the music composition and technology course at the UCA and is an award-winning composer of contemporary classical, film and electroacoustic music.

He gave students an interesting insight into his career in music and was very informative about the numerous and varied avenues open to them in this industry.

Advising the students to start music projects as soon as possible, he assured them that they would find lots of encouragement and support from those who had forged their way before them.

He entertained them with anecdotes about his early years in the business, doing fundraisers and competitions and being paid in pizzas! He urged them to ‘just do it’.

Dr Whalley also advised the students on the many further and higher education opportunities open to them, including the new music composition and technology degree at UCA and suggested that they look out for the people who inspire them.

He had been fortunate to be taught by musicians he admired and later worked with many of his idols.

Urging the students to be open to new ideas and willing to learn new skills he explained how the work he has done over the years, including composing film scores, came from a fundraising event while at school.

Later Dr Whalley spent the afternoon with the GCSE students who are involved in composing the score for Weydon’s next production, Animal Farm.

Afterwards, he wrote: “I was very impressed by the composition students – their motivation and knowledge clearly is in abundance! Please pass on my good wishes and encouragement to them. – A talented bunch!”