Alumni Spotlight - Leah Curtis
If you are looking to gain a career in the music business industry, our dynamic courses will provide you with the experience and knowledge. Accredited by the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA), you will benefit from real opportunities and be taught by experienced and dedicated staff who have strong industry links. As well as some of the best equipped facilities in Scotland, you will have the opportunity to gain experience from placements and employment opportunities.
After graduating in 2017, Leah has gone on to apply the skills and knowledge gained in the Music Business degree, to her working life. She chats to us about her experience 👇
Can you introduce yourself?
Hi! I’m Leah from Newcastle (England), but I’ve also lived in Germany, Scotland, and Sweden!
What course did you study at UHI Perth, and in what year did you complete your studies?
I studied BA (Hons) Music Business, and I graduated in 2017.
How did you hear about UHI Perth?
It was the next step after completing my HND in Music Business at Edinburgh College, and at the time UHI Perth was the only university in Scotland to offer Music Business to a degree level, and I wanted to stay in Scotland. Through networking events, I knew a lot of people who had gone on to do it, and they all highly recommended it.
What were you doing before you came to UHI Perth?
I was at Edinburgh College for the two years prior to joining UHI, and before that I spent two years in Germany working as a trainee event technician.
Why did you decide to pick this course?
I found my HND super interesting, and felt it was a route I really wanted to go down, so I decided that I wanted to get the full degree.
What was your favourite thing about the course?
Oh, so many things! I would say being able to collaborate with other students on projects and being given the option to do a small research project alongside a practical project, rather than a dissertation. As well as this, being able to get real insight into the music industry, rather than just learning about it in a classroom setting.
Were there any standout/memorable moments from your course?
Going to Sweden! For the first semester of our fourth (final) year, I and four other students got to go to Linnéuniversitetet in Kalmar through the Erasmus programme. It was such an amazing experience, I met so many lovely people, and I got the opportunity to study in a different country. Tack så mycket!
What knowledge, skills and experience did you gain from your course that have helped you since leaving UHI Perth?
The internships and placements that I did definitely set me up well for going back out into the big wide world. Being able to put on gigs with classmates, as well as getting real insight into the world of music business is still something I find myself referring back to even now.
What did you think about the styles of teaching, and the support you received from staff?
I felt that my lecturers were very knowledgeable, and they had a great teaching style, even when some of us were away in Sweden and they had to part-teach us online! They were also very understanding of my sometimes-unorthodox approaches to some of the assignments (including a puppet show promo video/advert for my final project).
Did you undertake a placement or work experience whilst at UHI Perth?
In the summer between 3rd and 4th year, I did a 5-week internship at a German record label.
I had met the director of the company at a networking event a few months earlier, and decided I wanted some more experience in that area. So, I decided to reach out and ask him if he wanted some help for a wee while. That was a fantastic experience, where I did a little bit of everything, and I even got to go to a festival for a day as part of it!
As part of my final year, I did also a part-time placement for one of my modules with a small Edinburgh-based Broadcast Media Production and Distribution company. Throughout the placement, I wrote reviews, carried out interviews and curated press releases for some well-known as well as local bands and artists.
What did you like about the campus?
The size was good! Coming from a similar sized college in Edinburgh (and having gone to a small secondary school and sixth form), I was very used to smaller campuses. It was hard to get lost, and there were lots of nice places to sit outside when the sun came out.
Were there any other achievements you gained, on your journey?
I’d say getting a 2:1 in my degree was the biggest achievement! But also learning more about myself as a person, and where I wanted to go in life.
What have you been up to since graduation? Are you currently employed?
I’ve had a few jobs since I left from event planning to call centres, but I currently work in marketing, and I absolutely love it! I’m also studying a full-time online master's in Digital Marketing and Data Analytics.
Do you feel your studies have helped you with your career?
100%! There are so many transferable skills (and connections) that have helped me massively. Until I started working in marketing, I didn’t realise how much of what I learned in my BA I could use every day in a different sector.
What are your future career plans?
Carry on working in marketing! I really enjoy it. But I’d also love to keep the events and music business side of me alive too, so a combination would be fantastic.
Did you enjoy studying at UHI Perth? Any highlights?
Going to Sweden to study was a definite highlight. I really did enjoy my time there (apart from the ‘normal’ “how am I going to do this” cries at 4:30pm). Joking aside, I would not change anything about having hone to UHI Perth, I really grew as person, and realised my own strengths.
What advice would you give to someone thinking about studying at UHI Perth?
DO IT! It’s a fantastic experience, and you won’t regret it.
