AMP is a leading and specialist creative industries department within HSDC. Our aim is to develop, nurture and inspire future creatives.
AMP is dedicated to ensuring creative courses give you more than just a qualification. Our teaching enables you to be free with your creativity – enabling you to learn whilst allowing you to express yourself.
We understand that everyone’s career aspirations are different and we give you the opportunity to explore the things that matter to you; helping you gain the experience and confidence you need to succeed in the creative industry.
Click here to see our creative courses.
The lecturers at AMP are more than just teachers, they’re industry experts who know what you need to succeed. They’re not only passionate about teaching, our lecturers are industry-connected practitioners who seek out opportunities to enhance your experience and help you stand out in the industry.
We have a diverse range of music facilities within our department including the following:
- Mac Suites
- Rehearsal Rooms
- AMP Sessions Performance Space
- Performance Spaces
- Recording Studios
- Instrumental Practice Rooms
- Live Sound Spaces
- Hot Desk Production Rooms
- Acoustically Designed Recital Hall
MAC SUITES
All four of our industry leading Mac Suites are supported by Native Instruments as part of our educational partnership with them.
Rooms include:
- Logic Pro X
- Ableton Live
- Native Instruments Komplete 12
- Midi Controller Keyboards
- Digital presentation screens and studio quality monitoring
- All students benefit by having their own machines to work on and personal accounts
RECORDING STUDIOS
Two recording studios incorporating products from the following brands:
- Universal Audio
- Genelec
- Krk
- Warm Audio
- Golden Age Project
- Presonus
- Native Instruments
- Shure
- Sennheiser
- Slate Digital
- Beyerdynamic
- AKG
- Motu
- PMC
- Tannoy
- JBL
These recording spaces are designed to give you a full recording experience, from a quick one mic demo recording to a full release standard multitrack recording. The studios benefit from many recording live rooms and a complex multicore system connecting most of the music buildings.
REHEARSAL ROOMS
Our rehearsal rooms are equipped with all the kit required to rehearse and perform your favourite music:
- PA Systems
- Mics
- Amps
- Keyboards
- Drums
Just rock up and start to learn tracks in a range of ensembles from solo acts to full bands.
AMP SESSIONS ROOM
Also, our fantastic AMP Sessions room is a fully equipped performance space for recording or performing original songs or covers. The room has lighting, sound and video equipment ready to go at all times. Writing and performing music is at the heart of what we do throughout your courses here.
Individual practice rooms are a more relaxed space for you to practice your music techniques around your course hours, take advantage of these spaces to continually improve your musicianship.
RECITAL HALL
Not forgetting our acoustically designed recital hall, this is an incredible space to perform all styles of music from a solo act to an orchestra to a full band show. This space benefits from:
- A live sound setup
- Yamaha Grand Piano
- Lighting
- Multicores running to studio A for recording
- Acoustically designed space
- Regular gigs
- Visits from guest lecturers
If you want to be immersed in a music department fully loaded with industry leading equipment and specialist lecturers who are employed from the industry, then this is where you need to be to launch your music career.
Whether you’re a dancer, photographer, actor or artist, what unites AMP is the passion for creativity. This passion extends to the creative community and we’re lucky enough to welcome industry experts, former students and inspiring guest speakers on a regular basis. Exciting activities in the past have included:
- All-day workshops led by industry experts
- Visits from alumni to share their insights into the industry
- Support for students to run their own events
- Guest lecturers sharing their skills
- Performing at events such as Victorious Festival
- Production of student magazine ‘AMPLIFY‘
In addition to these, you’ll also have the opportunity to showcase what you’ve learnt during your time at College, through performances or events throughout the year or end of year showcases and exhibitions.
Our students have a track record of success but don’t take our word for it. Here are some of our Alumni success stories:
- Performing in a West End sellout tour
- Working on set for Wonder Woman and Jurassic World 2
- Performing on BBC Live Lounge and touring with Christina Perri
- Inspiring future generations as a vocal performance lecturer
- A successful career in illustration
- Acting in Eastenders
These are just some of the successful alumni who have passed through the doors of HSDC. In addition to those listed above, many of our students have made a name for themselves within the art sector, music, theatre, film, tv, gaming, fashion and graphic design.