PALOMA FAITH SELECTS 2010 SHURE SONGWRITING AWARD WINNERS

Paloma Faith

The Institute of Contemporary Music Performance (ICMP) is delighted to announce the winners of this year's Shure Songwriting Award, as chosen by best-selling artist Paloma Faith. This innovative competition for aspiring singer-songwriters saw a record number of applicants compete for a place on the ICMP's prestigious one-year Professional Diploma in Songwriting course, sponsored by Columbia Records.

Eight finalists were chosen by public voting and a panel of experts at the ICMP. The finalists were presented to Paloma Faith, who has been making huge waves in the industry this year with her debut album 'Do You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful?' She was so impressed by the entries that she chose two winners: Joel Bailey and Ciara Haidar.

Commenting on her winning choices Paloma said:

'I like Joel's work because it's an original approach. There are no lines I have heard before and I don't know if it was intended but it's quite comical in some ways. There's a comic tragedy about it. Like a clown, clowns are always trying and failing and that's what makes them beautiful....'

'From Ciara, there is a vulnerability and desperation in these words. This song is the type of thing that we can all experience. In fact, many of us already have. It's very simple and very well expressed.'

Joel and Ciara now have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to professionally develop their talent and skills with a free place on the ICMP's one-year Professional Diploma in Songwriting course (worth £5,250). As well as enjoying this great opportunity to learn, Joel and Ciara will also benefit from the many opportunities that arise at the ICMP to write, collaborate and perform in live London showcase events in front of key industry insiders. Joel had the following to say:

'I'm extremely grateful and excited about the course! I'm really looking forward to being at the ICMP as I don't think there can be a better way for a songwriter to start building a career in the industry.'

The runner-up was Conal Herron, whose prize is a place (partly funded by Shure) on the same Songwriting course at the ICMP.

Keep an eye out for details of the 2011 Shure Songwriting Award and your chance to win a place at one of the world's leading schools of contemporary music! For further information about the ICMP and the Shure Songwriting Award, visit www.shuresongwritingaward.com or contact us directly:

020 7328 0222
enquiries@icmp.co.uk
www.icmp.co.uk

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About the Institute of Contemporary Music Performance:
The ICMP is widely recognised as one of Europe's leading schools of modern music. Established almost a quarter of a century ago, the ICMP has been developing and delivering cutting-edge courses to students of contemporary music for longer than any other UK-based school. Originally known as the Guitar Institute and Basstech, the school has built its reputation on providing world class teaching using the very best teachers and state-of-the-art facilities. It now offers a range of professionalcourses including a 3-year Degree (BMus), a 2-year Foundation Degree, a fully-funded 1-year Diploma, a specialist 1-year Higher Diploma, a Professional Diploma in Songwriting plus a wide portfolio of part-time courses designed to meet a variety of training needs for guitarists, bass players, drummers, vocalists and songwriters. Past or present ICMP students can be found everywhere, touring with the likes of Moby and The Noisettes, playing with bands like Radiohead and Babyshambles and artists like Eric Clapton and Kylie Minogue, and also working as teachers all over the world.