London College of Music or Chichester Triple Threat

[bop2thetop]

Hi everyone

So good to hear about everyone's offers and hopefully the stress of auditions and offers and waiting is slowly coming to a conclusion for most people. We're nearly there.

I thought I'd start a new topic about this as the normal Auditions 2017 one can get quite busy.

My DS has had his last audition and that was a Recall audition at GSA yesterday. He felt it went really well and thought he would be in with a chance but unfortunately he didn't get through to interview stage. However he does not have the grades and gsa has always been a long shot for him as they rarely make any exceptions apparently.

Anyway that leaves him with offers from London College of Music, Wolverhampton and Chichester with his top two being LCM and Chichester.

I know a lot of people will say why not Arts Ed or Mountview etc but unfortunately we are not a wealthy family and even with DADA or the part student funding that they offer we couldn't afford it. It's a shame because so many people tell us he really should go to what people perceive as a 'top' school but unfortunately because of either grades or money that is not possible. However I've been doing some research and I can see that both LCM and Chichester are having Agent Showcases and some students are getting work in the industry. Again I know the odds are less because the schools don't have the same reputations but I do believe they are up and coming from the information I have read. I follow the schools and agents on Twitter and that's how I've got this information.

Has anybody got any experiences of either school that they wouldn't mind sharing with me?I'm trying to help my son make the best choice. Thanks so much for anyone who can help

[islandofsodor]

My gut would be LCM but its just a gut feeling. However I have just looked through their alumni list and notice that my dd's singing teacher (at a vocational dance school) is a graduate of LCM.

However the LCM course is advertised as being for Actor Singers. I can't see that there is much dance?

[bop2thetop]

My gut would be LCM but its just a gut feeling. However I have just looked through their alumni list and notice that my dd's singing teacher (at a vocational dance school) is a graduate of LCM.

However the LCM course is advertised as being for Actor Singers. I can't see that there is much dance?

Hi islandsofsodor. Yes LCM advertise that they are for more Actor Singers which my DS is, so depending on how you look at it is good and bad. My DS weakest discipline is his Dance so probably he should choose somewhere that would do more Dance. He has potential in dance and the right physical appearance just not much training. He didn't audition for a dance college because dance isn't his favourite or strongest. He says the types of Musicals he would rather be in are the not so dance based ones. He can sing all styles but seems to be favouring more classical style shows at the moment. However as we all know you can't always just go straight in with what you ideally want so more dance training would be a good thing for him really.

[lyndahill]

I heard (on the grapevine) and don't know if it is true or not - that Chichester is forming some sort of partnership with Performers. That would be great if they did, but as I said I don't know where the rumour started.

[bop2thetop]

I heard (on the grapevine) and don't know if it is true or not - that Chichester is forming some sort of partnership with Performers. That would be great if they did, but as I said I don't know where the rumour started.

Weird because the speaker before my DS audition spoke about modelling themselves on Performers. So I wonder. Or did someone else hear that and just misunderstood
Thanks lyndahill

[kzgirl]

Hello
I think this is a really good thread and I am following it with great interest as my daughter has accepted Chichester triple threat. She was offered exactly the same offers as your son bop2thetop. My DD is not into acting as much as singing and dance, she dismissed the LCM course at the audition as there wasn't enough dance for her. Chichester also has some of the same teachers as GSA do, this is also a plus. DD also likes the course content. Chichester is just over an hour on the train to London so any dance shoes can be bought there. The course is well established and there is also opportunities for tour work especially in the third year of the degree. There is also a theatre in Bognor Regis where the Uni regularly put on shows.

Anyone elses DD or DS starting at Chichester in Sept 2017?

[bethjaneg]

Both my husband and I have had exstudents go to both these places. The LCM kids love it and course content seems very good indeed. The new course leader has brought in some amazing tutors. I would say there is less dance than else where. I think this is going to be a course to watch and may well end up with an excellent reputation as it establishes itself. The student I have in her first year at Chichester is auditioning else where as she feels there are not enough contact hours. Again, that's her experience and others may feel different. Feel free to PM me.

[bethjaneg]

Forgot to add that LCM 3rd year are doing Bat Boy from 4th to 7th may so if possible maybe go and have a watch and see what you think?

[bop2thetop]

Hello
I think this is a really good thread and I am following it with great interest as my daughter has accepted Chichester triple threat. She was offered exactly the same offers as your son bop2thetop. My DD is not into acting as much as singing and dance, she dismissed the LCM course at the audition as there wasn't enough dance for her. Chichester also has some of the same teachers as GSA do, this is also a plus. DD also likes the course content. Chichester is just over an hour on the train to London so any dance shoes can be bought there. The course is well established and there is also opportunities for tour work especially in the third year of the degree. There is also a theatre in Bognor Regis where the Uni regularly put on shows.

Anyone elses DD or DS starting at Chichester in Sept 2017?

Thanks kzgirl - interesting that you should say about teachers at GSA. At my DS GSA first audition he saw and spoke to the Dance Teacher that was in his Chichester audition. So yes I do believe they must share some teachers. Or at least one anyway.
Thanks so much for this information. That's very useful and it's possible our children could be on the same course in September

[bop2thetop]

Both my husband and I have had exstudents go to both these places. The LCM kids love it and course content seems very good indeed. The new course leader has brought in some amazing tutors. I would say there is less dance than else where. I think this is going to be a course to watch and may well end up with an excellent reputation as it establishes itself. The student I have in her first year at Chichester is auditioning else where as she feels there are not enough contact hours. Again, that's her experience and others may feel different. Feel free to PM me.

Thank you for this. It's so tricky because my DS has a friend at LCM on the foundation who is considering leaving for these same reasons. He feels there are not enough hours. I just think that both LCM and Chichester are not going to be as many hours as a 'Drama school' and we have to accept that will be the case.
It's good to know there are happy students at LCM too though. That's the thing isn't it, people have different experiences and what suits one wouldn't suit another. Thanks for the idea of going to see a show. I think that's a great idea and would really give us an idea at what the standards like. Thank you

[jennifer1972]

Both my husband and I have had exstudents go to both these places. The LCM kids love it and course content seems very good indeed. The new course leader has brought in some amazing tutors. I would say there is less dance than else where. I think this is going to be a course to watch and may well end up with an excellent reputation as it establishes itself. The student I have in her first year at Chichester is auditioning else where as she feels there are not enough contact hours. Again, that's her experience and others may feel different. Feel free to PM me.

That's a good point! How do the contact hours compare between the two?

[yorshiremum]

Hi
My DD is at LCM just finishing second year there. (3 year BA rather than 4 year). She picked it over Chichester and feels it was the right choice for her. She is very happy with the course and would say that most of them absolutely love it. The contact hours are quite high for a university, but I would say that it is up to the individual student to participate in some of the optional components such as the singing groups Glee and Voxes, and dance society workshops and classes, to get the most from the course. There is some dance but it is definitely aimed more at the actor/singer and the course is based on the Central MT course for a comparison. They do lean towards more of a 'Sondheim' feel on the sort of shows they do and are currently doing A little night music and Batboy, with West Side Story earlier in the year. There are a lot of opportunities for shows around Ealing too with several of them in Sweet Charity and Spring Awakening recently. The lecturers are excellent and teach in many other drama schools too, and interestingly they have brought forward their agent showcase this year which has made a big difference, and I know of one student who had 10 offers from agents! Please DM me if you have any questions.

[Munchpot]

I heard (on the grapevine) and don't know if it is true or not - that Chichester is forming some sort of partnership with Performers. That would be great if they did, but as I said I don't know where the rumour started.

I hadn't heard that but when the director of the course spoke to us before the audition he did talk about how they try to base themselves on places like Performers, Bird and Urdang, but just don't have the same resources

[bop2thetop]

Hi
My DD is at LCM just finishing second year there. (3 year BA rather than 4 year). She picked it over Chichester and feels it was the right choice for her. She is very happy with the course and would say that most of them absolutely love it. The contact hours are quite high for a university, but I would say that it is up to the individual student to participate in some of the optional components such as the singing groups Glee and Voxes, and dance society workshops and classes, to get the most from the course. There is some dance but it is definitely aimed more at the actor/singer and the course is based on the Central MT course for a comparison. They do lean towards more of a 'Sondheim' feel on the sort of shows they do and are currently doing A little night music and Batboy, with West Side Story earlier in the year. There are a lot of opportunities for shows around Ealing too with several of them in Sweet Charity and Spring Awakening recently. The lecturers are excellent and teach in many other drama schools too, and interestingly they have brought forward their agent showcase this year which has made a big difference, and I know of one student who had 10 offers from agents! Please DM me if you have any questions.

Wow that sounds fab about the Agents and so encouraging. I would love to DM you if that's ok?

[yorshiremum]

Of course. Happy to answer any questions.