London College of Creative Media (LCCM) has revealed the final details of the ‘FastTrack Festival’. The free afternoon of music industry virtual panels and discussions open to new musical creators, current LCCM students and those aspiring to build a career in the business, will be hosted live on Saturday 5 December.
Hosted both on YouTube Live and Facebook Live, the initiative will provide access to a variety of different events, from masterclasses hosted by experts to live performances. YouTube will host the hour-long masterclasses and panels between 12 pm and 7 pm, whilst Facebook Live will stream live performances from LCCM students, as well as a Student & Staff Q&A panel about life at the college.
Throughout the day, the conversation will focus on the future of the music industry after the coronavirus pandemic and the renewed push for equality and social justice, as well as providing priceless advice on careers in the creative sector. Online attendees will be able to learn, ask questions and gain valuable insights from more than 15 major music industry artists, executives and educators.
JD Donovan, Creative Industries Liaison at LCCM, said: “It’s great to create such a loaded day of industry panels and incredible guests, and we’re pleased to be able to bring this together despite the recent challenges of the second lockdown.
“Students and creators of all ages will be able to tune in for free from the comfort of their homes throughout the afternoon. Putting together an event like this is exactly what LCCM is all about: breaking down barriers and directly connecting students and young creatives with the UK music industry.”
The program of the day will feature a long list of professionals and artists, sharing their insights with the online audience. Highlights of the event include a Mixing and Production Masterclass from recent chart-topping mixer Chris Hewitt (UK #1 for his work on NINES) at 12pm, followed by a 1 pm panel from the Featured Artists Coalition (FAC) featuring renowned talents Bishi, Terri Walker, Dave Okumu and Esa.
Creative careers advice service ERIC will host a session at 2 pm, and at 3 pm UK Music will lead a panel hosted by Dr Oliver Morris, featuring Yasmin Lajoie, Vick Bain, Steve Partridge and AIM Director Paul Pacifico.
At 4 pm, LCCM will host a panel discussion on ‘Women in Music’, and at 5 pm the day will be rounded off with by a panel from the Ivors Academy, led by Tareic Alphonse and featuring Cassell The Beatmaker, Emily Phillips, Hope Winter, and Will Davenport.
Dr Simon Jones, Principal at LCCM, said: “We are excited to be able to provide this event to our students and to anybody passionate about music or interested in a career. The FastTrack Festival is a landmark event for our college, showcasing the support LCCM can offer in creating real connections with the industry for the benefit of our students.”