Hi, in case we have not met or spoken before, my name is Stephen Hutton. I am 22 years old and studying the MA Music Industries Full-time. I have recently finished a BA in Ancient History at the University of Birmingham. Such a qualification makes me appear worlds apart from the modern music industry but prior and during my three year undergraduate degree I have worked as a musician in my spare time, developing skills of musical composition and audio production. It was only as I entered my final year that I realised that music is where my real vocation is, however, I am yet unable to pinpoint where in this complex industry I feel my true passions lie. My efforts as a musician are on going and I feel that I am making progress towards a potential career, but I still feel very insecure about the certainty of this. I get confidence from the fact that I am at least aware of this difficult situation and feel that I am progressing towards a state where I do feel secure.

I feel that I am working towards a more secure environment through diversifying my skills base and range of operations as an individual, apart from the musical band in which I am apart, (i.e. Silver Souvenirs). By learning audio production as well as skills of composition and performance, in addition to supplementary skills such as DJ-ing I feel that I am being more than a musician, in the traditional twentieth century meaning, but a diverse and active member of the modern creative economy. My contributions are still modest at this point but feel they are developing over time.

Having studied history and acquired the skills associated with this specialist area to a good level I am looking forward to studying Popular Music History and Heritage: how music and creativity become part of a greater social identity, and the connections and differences between creativity and culture. As a participant and contributor to this creative aspect of modern society I want to be able to step outside my own mind-set and study my own position and direction from a more objective position. At this stage in my development I hope to gather an understanding of where the creative industries as culture have come from, where they are now, and hopefully, where they are heading. As a result of this, I also hope to construct for myself a clearer vision of my potential future as a professional in this complex, and ever-changing, industry.