A college in Brighton has held its first ever graduation ceremony.
The students were the first cohort to graduate at WaterBear, a music college offering BA (Hons) and MA courses.
The college in Queens Road was set up in 2018 by Bruce John Dickinson and Adam Bushell.
The ceremony took place in Brighton Dome and three cohorts of students from masters and online undergraduate courses celebrated their achievements with family, friends and staff.
Singer-song writer Frank Turner gave a speech to graduands.
Bruce said: “It is a pleasure to celebrate the monumental achievements of our students.
“They will now reap the rewards of the solid foundation that they have built during their time with us for a sustainable career in music.”
A live string quartet welcomed the guests to the ceremony, playing motivational songs as they entered the hall.
Duncan Howlett, a graduate collecting his certificate for his MA in Music Entrepreneur, said that when he started his degree he was a working musician and not an academic, so doing a master’s “seemed like a massive task.”
He said: “WaterBear has changed my life. It has given me a massive amount of confidence in my abilities and knowledge. And it has made my family proud too.”
Since finishing his degree this year, Duncan has been busy performing live and making his own music.
Alongside running his own company, Duncan now works with the college to interview prospective students, attend events and create films for them.
He has filmed with famous artists and industry professionals including Rabea Massaad and Ronan Keating.
Co-founder Adam hosted the ceremony alongside Frank. In an address to students, Adam said: “It’s my absolute privilege to share this moment with you, your families and friends.
“This day marks the conclusion of a journey of hard work, dedication and discipline. It also represents the start of an exciting new chapter.”
He said this first graduating cohort had made “a unique and special contribution” to WaterBear’s history.
Bruce said: “We wish them the very best of luck as they progress in the industry and look forward to hearing of their further successes.”
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