ICMP (Institute of Contemporary Music Performance)

ICMP (Institute of Contemporary Music Performance) is a contemporary music university based in London, founded in 1986 as The Guitar Institute and Basstech. It has since expanded to offer degrees in performance, songwriting, music production, music business, and music psychology across campuses in London, Liverpool, Leeds, and Glasgow. ICMP is known for small class sizes, 1-to-1 tuition, and high contact hours compared to traditional university music programs. It is best suited for contemporary musicians, songwriters, and producers who want a degree with more individual attention than a large university provides.

Notable Alumni

ICMP graduates have achieved commercial success across pop, rock, jazz, and electronic music:

• Foxes (Louisa Allen) - Grammy Award-winning vocalist. Allen studied on ICMP's Diploma programme and was featured on Zedd's "Clarity," which won the 2014 Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording. She is signed to Sony RCA and has released two albums, Glorious (2014) and All I Need (2016). Here is the official video for "Clarity" from Zedd's YouTube channel, with over 500 million views:

• Matt Maltese - Singer-songwriter and pianist. Maltese studied on ICMP's BA Creative Musicianship degree and signed with Atlantic Records in 2017. His song "As the World Caves In" has over 565 million streams on Spotify and 17 million views on YouTube. Doja Cat and BTS's Kim Taehyung have both publicly endorsed his music, and Frank Ocean featured his single "Rom-Com Gone Wrong" on Blonded Radio. Here is the official video for "As the World Caves In" from his YouTube channel:

• Ego Ella May - South London neo-soul and jazz vocalist. An ICMP Vocals alumna, she won the Best Jazz Act at the 2020 MOBO Awards. Her debut album Honey for Wounds was released via John Boyega's Room Records. The Guardian named her part of a fresh wave of writers rebooting soul music for the post-grime era, alongside Moses Boyd, Ezra Collective, and Nubya Garcia. Here she performs "Girls Don't Always Sing About Boys" on the COLORS studio channel (1.2 million views):

• Arni Hjorvar Arnason - Bassist for The Vaccines. Arnason studied bass at ICMP and formed The Vaccines in 2010. The band's debut single "Wreckin' Bar (Ra Ra Ra)" was named Zane Lowe's "Hottest Record in the World" on BBC Radio 1. They became the first band to perform on Later... with Jools Holland before releasing a single. Here is the official video for "If You Wanna" from The Vaccines' VEVO channel, with over 12 million views:

• Micko Larkin - Guitarist. Larkin graduated from ICMP's Guitar Diploma in 2003 and later joined Courtney Love's band Hole, touring worldwide with her. He first played in Larrikin Love, who signed to Warner Records.
• Ben Sargeant - Bassist for The Script, the Irish rock band whose debut album (2008) reached number one in the UK and Ireland.

Programs and Degrees

ICMP offers undergraduate and postgraduate programs across its four campuses. Not all programs are available at every location.

Undergraduate Degrees (London, Liverpool, Leeds)

• BA (Hons) Music Performance: Three-year degree for instrumentalists and vocalists. Covers performance technique, repertoire, music theory, and professional development.
• BA (Hons) Songwriting & Production: Three-year degree combining songcraft with technical production skills. Students build a portfolio of original songs while learning studio production.
• BA (Hons) Creative Music Production: Three-year degree focused on studio production, sound engineering, and electronic music production.
• BA (Hons) Music Business & Entrepreneurship: Three-year degree covering music industry business, marketing, management, and entrepreneurship. Achieved CMI (Chartered Management Institute) accreditation.
• BA (Hons) Music Psychology: Three-year degree exploring the psychological dimensions of music, including performance, creativity, and wellbeing.
• BMus (Hons) Popular Music Performance: Three-year degree with deeper focus on instrumental/vocal mastery.
• CertHE Higher Education Certificate: One-year foundation program.

Postgraduate Degrees (London, Glasgow)

• MA Music Performance: One-year postgraduate for advanced performers.
• MA Songwriting: One-year postgraduate for experienced songwriters.
• MA Music Production: One-year postgraduate for producers looking to refine their craft.
• MA Music Business: One-year postgraduate covering advanced music industry management.
• MMus Popular Music Performance: One-year postgraduate performance degree.

Short Courses

ICMP offers 3-month industry songwriting courses, part-time performance courses, and summer schools. These are non-degree programs designed for skill development without committing to a full degree.

Admissions and Tuition

UK Undergraduate Fees (2026/27)

All undergraduate degrees (CertHE, BA, BMus) cost £9,790 per year for UK students, in line with the UK government fee cap. UK students can apply for Student Finance tuition fee loans and maintenance loans.

International Undergraduate Fees (2026/27)

International students pay £12,250 per year under the Creative Development Scholarship, which is automatically applied to eligible EU, EEA, and Swiss students. Students from outside the EU/EEA should contact ICMP admissions for specific fee information. The scholarship reduces the fee by up to £4,000 per year.

Postgraduate Fees (2026/27)

Postgraduate fees for UK students are available on the ICMP website. International postgraduate students pay £12,250 under the Creative Development Scholarship.

Entry Requirements

Entry is via UCAS for undergraduate programs. ICMP typically requires 96 to 112 UCAS tariff points depending on the course. Applicants may be invited to audition or interview. ICMP welcomes applicants with non-traditional qualifications and considers mature students who can demonstrate aptitude and motivation.

Financial Support

UK students can access Student Finance loans for both tuition and living costs. International students should investigate funding options in their home country. ICMP also offers internal scholarships and bursaries.

Campus and Facilities

London Campus

ICMP's London campus is spread across two sites in north London. Facilities include recording studios, performance rooms, rehearsal spaces, Mac labs with industry-standard DAWs, and a live venue space. The London location provides access to the UK's largest concentration of music industry companies, venues, and recording studios.

Liverpool, Leeds, and Glasgow

ICMP expanded beyond London and now offers undergraduate programs in Liverpool and Leeds, with postgraduate programs in Glasgow. All campuses open for September 2026 entry. Facilities vary by location, but all provide purpose-built music school environments.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

ICMP's main selling point is class size. Where traditional university music programs can have 30 to 50 students per class, ICMP maintains small cohorts with 1-to-1 tuition as a standard feature. If you learn better with direct feedback from instructors rather than large lectures, this model is significantly more effective.

The school was founded as a guitar school, and instrumental performance remains a core strength. The BMus and BA Performance programs are well-regarded for contemporary guitar, bass, drums, vocals, and keyboards. The faculty includes working session musicians and performers.

The expansion to Liverpool, Leeds, and Glasgow gives students location flexibility. If London living costs are prohibitive, the Liverpool or Leeds campuses offer the same degrees at lower living expenses. The Glasgow campus handles postgraduate programs.

The Music Business and Entrepreneurship degree achieving CMI accreditation means graduates receive a professional management qualification alongside their academic degree. This is useful if you plan to manage your own career or start a label/publishing company.

At £9,790 per year for UK students, ICMP is priced identically to traditional universities but offers more contact hours and smaller classes. The international fee at £12,250 (with scholarship) is competitive compared to London conservatoires that charge £20,000 to £30,000 per year.

Potential Drawbacks

ICMP is not a conservatoire. It does not offer classical music degrees, and its performance programs are focused on popular and contemporary music. If you want to study classical performance, opera, or orchestral instruments, look at the Royal Academy of Music, Royal College of Music, or Guildhall.

The multi-campus expansion is recent. The Liverpool, Leeds, and Glasgow campuses may not yet have the same depth of facilities or industry connections as the established London campus. Prospective students should visit the specific campus they plan to attend and verify what facilities and faculty are available there.

ICMP does not have the same global reputation as Berklee or the Royal Academy of Music. While the education quality is strong, the name on your CV will carry less weight in international markets. This matters less if you plan to work in the UK music industry, where ICMP is well-known.

The 1-to-1 tuition model means you will be working closely with a small number of instructors. If your assigned tutor is not a good fit for your musical direction, the small cohort size can feel limiting. Check the faculty list for your specific instrument or discipline before enrolling.

Visit the official ICMP website for course details, audition requirements, and application information.

Related Resources

• Music Schools Directory - Compare ICMP with other music schools
• Streaming Royalty Calculator - Project streaming revenue while studying
• Music Scholarships Directory - Find funding for your music education
• 21 Ways Musicians Can Earn Income - Income strategies for performing musicians
• BIMM University - A comparable UK contemporary music university with multiple campuses
• Musicians Institute (MI) - A similar contemporary music school in Hollywood with guitar and performance roots
• Royal Academy of Music - A London conservatoire for students considering classical rather than contemporary pathways
• Point Blank Music School - Another London-based school focused on music production and DJing