A tutor, who convinced an award-winning artist to be a songwriter and has been presented with an award by British pop royalty, is still going strong at a Borough-based college twenty years later.
Pat Cotton, 56, teaches degree-level music at the London College of Contemporary Music, previously the London College of Creative Media (LCCM).
“When I first started I was just a regular tutor, teaching part-time and playing in a band,” Pat told us. “We were playing bars all around London and doing some session work too.”
Thirteen years ago, he was offered the position full-time at the college, which is based on the corner of Union Street, after they started offering degree courses – and he says he’s never looked back.
“The thing about the school is we’re not into one style of music. You get various schools that are focused on one – you know jazz schools or rock schools. We’re bang in the middle.
“It benefits people to learn all types of music,” he said.
Over 20 years, Pat has taught a lot of people – including some who have gone on to become big names.
Perhaps most notably, one of his old students was Scottish singer-songwriter, Tom Walker.
“With Tom, he initially started as a guitarist,” Pat said.
He said Tom wasn’t sure about the route to take in music, but some advice from his tutor would eventually influence where he ended up.
“I was the one who said he should go down the songwriting route. He is a great musician but that’s where I could see his real skill,” he said.
After graduating from LCCM in 2014, Tom went on to release music – rising to fame in 2018 for his single “Leave a Light On.”
In 2019, he won a BRIT award for “Best Breakthrough Act” and earlier this year he embarked on his first UK tour.
Commenting on the success of his ex-student, Pat said he wasn’t surprised: “Teaching them you could see that they were really proactive about getting stuff together. They still learnt all the stuff on the course – but they were always making music on the side.”
“We’ve had others do really well – some rock bands who have gone on to support Metallica for example.”
Pat’s tutoring has not gone unnoticed. He was recently named UK Music’s Tutor of the Year. “I was really surprised. Two ex-students from here nominated me.”
He said the award was presented to him by Sandie Shaw, a famous popstar from the ’60s and the first British entry to win Eurovision.
“When she introduced me, she started talking about female empowerment – she thought I was a woman from my name.
“Then I walked up. I think she was shocked,” Pat joked.
Despite his wealth of experience, he admits the industry has changed a lot in recent years.
Since the rise of video apps like TikTok, we asked Pat why a music degree is still necessary, as more artists are now able to record and publish their own music independently.
He explained that the range of courses at the college is designed to set students up for a career in music, sometimes in jobs they hadn’t considered.
“A lot of the musicians who come here won’t be mega-famous,” Pat said. “Some will, but the problem is if you do that and nothing else you limit your options.
“You might do that for five to ten years – but if you want to then do something else, it’s difficult.”
The course he teaches is the BMus course. On that course, the options include a songwriting module and another that teaches composing for film.
Pat commented: “It gives them a load of skills and then it’s up to them what they do. In the songwriting module, you get compulsory piano lessons and learn to arrange, which really sets you up.
“Often that’s where the real money is – writing for other people.”
There’s also the commercial music course – more aimed at people who want to get into the music business, Pat explained, “like artist management or production.”
Another thing the college is known for is holding regular ‘masterclasses’ with people who have been successful in music.
Back in February, LCCM hosted a special two-day free event with Mathew Knowles – a music business mogul most famous for managing Destiny’s Child, and his daughters Beyoncé and Solange.
“Sometimes artists who need backup singers will come in as well looking for students,” he added.
For more information on what the college offers go to lccm.org.uk