'It's always a huge day for the school': Graduation ceremony held in Cork Academy of Music

Certificates were recently presented to 60 students who successfully completed courses at the Cork Academy of Music.

The presentation of certificates to the students who completed various courses and the Jazz Summer School was held at the Cork Academy of Music in the North Monastery Campus.

Bob Seward, who established the Cork Academy of Music 29 years ago and now serves as the chairman, paid tribute to the successful students. “Every year we have a summer school. It is a comprehensive school, where people come in for a week of intensive work.

“It is a very intensive course held over five days where the students learn all instruments such as piano, saxophone, clarinet, trumpet, and guitar,” Mr Seward said.

“We presented the certificates to the successful students at the North Monastery campus. A total of 60 students were rewarded with certificates.

“The students were comprised of people of all ages. It was a great day. The course started on Monday and finished on Friday.

“There was a lovely atmosphere. It is always a huge day for the school. A lot of parents and relations were also at the graduation ceremony.

“After we presented the certs, the students put on a lovely musical show. They demonstrated all that they learned throughout the week,” he continued.

Mr Seward said there are many benefits upon completion of the course.

“It is a very useful course for them to complete as some of them will be going on to college.

“This course is of great benefit to them because it is taught by very efficient tutors who are well-versed in the music industry.

“We also have other courses. Each course has about eight or nine modules they go through over the two years.

“A lot of courses will now finish at the end of August. Most of these people will go into the music industry or go on to third level education.

“We run a course through the Community Employment (CE) scheme. We are running that for 29 years now. It is very successful.

“It is a scheme where people of all ages come in. We also have a foundation access course to third level.

“This year now we have eight people going on to college. About 2,500 people have gone through here and it has changed their lives completely.

“It can be a life-changing experience for most of them. We use music as a tool for social inclusion,” he added.

The chairman of Cork Academy of Music said he sees a change in students within weeks of them starting courses with the academy.

“There is a very happy and a lovely atmosphere here. I always see a change in self-esteem in the students within weeks.

“We have great facilities. We have very good equipment and very comfortable classrooms.

“We have renovated new toilets. We are setting up a recording studio here now,” he said.

“Cork Academy of Music is going extremely well.

“We are getting great results in all instruments. Anything related to music is taught here. All our examinations are external.

“Theory is a big one. We have done up the building in the North Monastery Campus. We are doing the inside at the moment. The Cork Academy of Music has a great history and a very bright future.”