Leading Music College LCCM Announces the Winner of 2021 Full Scholarship Award
London – London music college LCCM has announced Kofi Otuo, a first year BMUS Commercial Music Technology Student, as the winner of its full scholarship competition for 2021.
Kofi auditioned for the scholarship at a multidisciplinary live event at the college’s state-of-the-art Music Box venue in front of an audience, and the judging panel – the singer-songwriter Carmody and LCCM academics Austin Milne and Pat Cotton. All were effusive in their praise of Kofi’s work with Milne, Programme Leader for Postgraduate, calling it, “some of the most original music that I’ve ever heard” and Carmody calling it “so slick.”
Pat Cotton, Programme Leader for Music, said of Kofi’s scholarship audition: “All the elements were familiar but the way you put them together was great. It didn’t set in the kind of grove I was expecting. It was very different, but still commercial at the same time. It was great!”
Kofi, who is from Ghana, was surprised and delighted to win the scholarship. Speaking on stage immediately after the result was announced, he said: “Thank you to the judges for taking a look at my music and actually connecting with it. I’d also like to say congratulations to you all (other finalists). It’s not an easy job to bring your music forward as a musician so congratulations to you guys. With all the love and support that I’ve had since I’ve been here, I’m just grateful.”
The other student finalists where Katie Whiting, 1st year BMus Performance and Production; Annatoria Chitapa, 1st year BA Music Business Management (previous winner of ITV’s The Voice UK) and Masters students Leon Morris, MMus Production and Katie Roberts, MMus Performance.
“All the students at LCCM, not just our five finalists, are incredibly talented,” says Anthony Hamer-Hodges, Principal at LCCM. “We want them to enjoy themselves when they are with us but also learn and thrive, using the experience and knowledge we have given them to be a success in whatever part of the industry they want to go into.”
The applicants auditioned in late September and the Scholarship Day followed on from LCCM’s successful Music Industry Insiders Day in August.
Elsewhere, the first freshers’ event of the term saw platinum-selling indie-pop band, Amber Run, perform an intimate set for around 80 students and staff at the Music Box venue before embarking on their UK tour. The band has amassed a dedicated fanbase with over 800 million streams, a US platinum single and sold-out world tours.
LCCM continues to welcome a ‘who’s who’ of the UK music business to the college, with David Rodigan MBE, Dumi Oburota and GFrSH appearing at recent ‘Box Talks’ events; artists Novelist, Kara Marni and Kojey Radical using the studio facilities; and industry organisations and companies such as PPL, Good Soldier and BAFTA appearing as part of the ‘Music Industry Mondays’ conversation series.