As 2025 comes to a close with everyone looking forward to the well-deserved Christmas break, let’s take a moment to reflect and look back at highlights from the past decade, review changes in curriculum and in leadership, as well as what to expect up ahead as we share our vision and values.
Selected highlights
2015 marked the 50th year of Leeds Conservatoire (then Leeds College of Music). LJC hosted a huge celebration with performances from four bands in the cafe bar, a sold-out concert in the Venue, and plenty of cake!
2016 had a notable Industry Insights workshop hosted by Dan Brunskill and his quintet, discussing topics such as studying music, working as a musician, and booking gigs.
2017 was when two students Annabel and Phoenix starred in the School of Rock at the all-time prestigious West End theatre in London. Both students expressed the importance of LJC lessons, particularly with learning how to work in bands, practising improvisation, and gaining the confidence to try new things.
Read about the interview here https://www.leedsconservatoire.ac.uk/courses/leeds-junior-conservatoire/ljc-news/annabel-gracey-phoenix-taylor-in-conversation/
We were also invited to take part in Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival (https://hcmf.co.uk/) where our students performed their original piece titled 'The Persistence of Memory'. Then in the afternoon they attended a workshop with International Contemporary Ensemble, Distractfold, and Ross Karre.
2018 was the start of Summer Music Academy – an extensive week full of workshops and performances with tutors at the Conservatoire. We also had students take a trip on the Leeds International Piano Competition piano trial, and a visit to the piano painting studio which was inspiring to say the least.
2019 was full of student achievements, notably guitarist George Collins going to study at Berklee College of Music. We had student bands that formed in our Saturday classes perform at the annual Chapel Allerton Festival, Headingley Youth Music Festival, and our Spring Showcase. Our student jazz band led by James Mainwaring performed at Seven Arts, supporting the Generation Big Band directed by Mark Chandler.
Read more about the Generation Big Band https://www.leedsconservatoire.ac.uk/courses/leeds-junior-conservatoire/ljc-news/generation-big-band-and-friends/
2020 featured the Instrumental Change project where a total of 76 unwanted instruments were donated to young musicians at LJC and other organisations. This joint project with Fundraising had a huge legacy with subsequent generous donations which continue to positively impact the wider music community.
2021 enabled 9 students’ LJC fees to be covered by funding awarded by Leverhulme Scholarships. Our scholarship fund has significantly grown since 2015 from £5,000 to £70,000 which greatly supports young people to access specialist conservatoire training.
2022 initiated the Zero to Hero programme which included outreach workshops in schools with the aim to inform and educate potential students about studying at LJC. Head of Music at Leeds City Academy, Dan Barber praised the success: ‘All students have developed exponentially as musicians, instrumentalists and in their confidence, performing as part of the LJC concert and within school at several celebration events.’
2023 marked a proud achievement by our student band Hole in the Ceiling who worked with tutor Phil Hepworth. As part of the Leeds Youth Music Festival Celebration organised by LMEP (Leeds Music Education Partnership), the band performed at Leeds First Direct Arena to an amazing audience. What a brilliant and memorable day!
2024 featured the Jazz Leeds Education Project with tutors Dave Evans and Joe Moore delivering workshops in three schools around the city and included performances at local iconic venue Seven Arts. This project has provided positive outcomes with the jazz ensemble continuing at Roundhay School and other students signing up for LJC or signposted to other youth jazz ensembles.
2025 was characterised by the work with Artforms in supporting the Leeds School Choir who performed at the Leeds Youth Festival. The choir was led by Leeds Conservatoire Principal Lecturer Craig Lees and comprised over 220 students from 9 different schools and academies.
Read about the most recent LJC Summer Festival which was a huge success, featuring young musicians, actors, and music tech students. https://www.leedsconservatoire.ac.uk/courses/leeds-junior-conservatoire/ljc-news/ljc-summer-festival-2025/
Curriculum and leadership changes
As part of an ongoing objective to improve student experience, the last ten years have seen the introduction of new classes. We achieve this by talking closely with both staff and students to ensure that young people are given opportunities to broaden their musical horizon.
For performers there are Guitar Skills, Vocal Skills, Musical Theatre singing and Acting classes, while for composers there are Film Music and Learning to use Logic. We offer an experience course for primary age students, and dedicated mentoring for students in Year 12 and 13. We also developed the Performance Plus programme to include the Industry Insights class which prepares students for further study and work in the music industry.
Please join us in congratulating Dan Brunskill who will be the new Manager of Leeds Junior Conservatoire for the rest of the academic year, taking over from Karina Gourlay who has been Head of Leeds Junior Conservatoire for ten years. Dan will undoubtedly bring a wealth of knowledge and experience having worked as the Leeds Junior Conservatoire Manager and Summer Academy Coordinator. Karina Gourlay will continue to teach at HE at the Conservatoire and looks forward to spending more time performing and composing. ‘It has been an incredible journey, and I am so proud of everything our team has achieved together, the creativity, dedication, and care everyone brings to our work make this such a special place to be part of.’
Vision and values
We aim to be a Junior Conservatoire for the 21st century that is accessible to all, meaning that we are an outward-facing organisation who work with schools, educational partners and communities, with multiple access points for our students. We believe that access to a range of high-quality musical or performing arts experience are essential for developing and nurturing talents of young musicians and performers. The development of the next generation of creative people starts in primary school, and this is reflected in our outreach programmes, short courses, and HE recruitment programmes.
Currently 33% of students receive a full or partial bursary, and funding has been secured for our access programmes such as Jazz Camp for Girls and Zero to Hero. We believe that finance should not be a barrier to great education and that no family should be turned down due to cost.
We nurture a creative and supportive environment for a diverse range of musicians of all backgrounds from classical ensemble players to contemporary bands, songwriters, and producers. We encourage exploration across genres: pop, rock, jazz, blues, folk, classical, film music and more. Performance+ students who are aged 14-18 and Grade 5 or above receive advanced training in career progression and support in HE progression.
We endorse the idea of hands-on learning where students gain practical skills and experience by working in recording studios and learning how to use industry-standard software. Our teaching culture recognizes and rewards improvisation and experimentation. There’s a host of performance opportunities in a variety of settings that showcase young talent and allow students to gain exposure to real-world scenarios and professional practices.
Partnership work
Leeds has a vibrant and dynamic music scene, as well as a reputation for music education. LJC partners with Artforms, and the West Yorkshire Music Hub (formerly Leeds Music Education Partnership) to continue working towards the same goals through a wide range of projects and initiatives. The collaborative spirit between colleagues and tutors across partner organisations has enabled us to innovate and to uphold a high standard of music education across the city.
It is fair to say that LJC has achieved a lot over the years, and there is no better way to conclude this celebration article than to quote a Year 12 Leverhulme Scholar at LJC: ‘I’ve looked forward to every Saturday, always learning something new – whether instrumental, analytical, or just general life skills – and making lifelong friends who share the same passion for music. The atmosphere has helped me thrive, and I genuinely don’t think I’d have developed the skills needed for higher education without LJC.’
Find out more:
If you would like to know more about opportunities for young people in music at Leeds Junior Conservatoire please contact us at [email protected]. We have a wide range of entry points from beginner through to advanced.
