Bird College Competitors

The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts opened in 1996 to forge a new approach to performing arts training. It was co-founded by our Lead Patron Sir Paul McCartney and Mark Featherstone-Witty. and is housed in his old school, which underwent a multi-million pound renovation to transform it into a state-of-the-art performing arts higher education institution. Today LIPA has a reputation for being one of the UK's leading higher education institutions. Many people associate us with Music but we also teach Acting, Applied Theatre and Community Drama, Dance, Filmmaking, Management, Sound Technology and Theatre Performance Design and Technology.

The Hochstein School, founded in commemoration of genius and dedicated to providing access to opportunity, is a vibrant community of musicians, dancers, and supporters who choose to come together in this historic and inspiring place to develop in themselves, and in each other, the ability to speak and communicate through the making of music and dance. We do this with the conviction that music nurtures, enriches, and energizes every human life, and that the joy of making music, and all the expressive arts that it inspires, holds the key to creating a better world. Founded almost 100 years ago, The Hochstein School serves thousands of people in our community each week. We are a destination, both for education services and for events of all kinds, helping to build a vibrant and inclusive community. Over 3,500 children, youth, and adults participate in our unique music, dance, and expressive arts (music/dance/art therapy) programs annually. During the 2017-2018 school year, with thanks to community support, Hochstein awarded $312,266 in need-based assistance to almost half of its students – this is an increase of more than $40,000 compared to previous years. The mission of the David Hochstein Memorial Music School is to provide people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities with access to excellent music and dance education in a community that nurtures and encourages personal achievement.

Founded in 1919, the Grammy and Juno-award winning Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (VSO) is one of the largest arts organizations in Western Canada, Canada’s third largest orchestra, and one of the few orchestras in North America to have its own music school. The VSO and Music Director Maestro Otto Tausk celebrated the orchestra’s 100th anniversary season in 2018-2019. The mission of the VSO is to create, curate and connect irresistible musical experiences. The VSO fulfills its mission by presenting passionate, high-quality performances of classical, popular, and culturally diverse music; creating meaningful engagement with audiences of all ages and backgrounds; and developing and delivering inspirational education and community programs. Performing more than 150 concerts per year throughout Vancouver, the surrounding communities, and the province of British Columbia, the VSO serves over 270,000 patrons annually, including 50,000 children and young adults. The VSO has an operating budget of $18 million, 104 full-time employees (70 musicians and 34 staff), and is governed by a 21-member board of directors. About the VSO School of Music and the Tovey Centre for Music The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra School of Music (VSO School of Music) is a purpose-built facility that opened in 2011. The VSO School of Music embraces a community-centered philosophy, with a vision to lead by leveraging the strengths of the VSO and its musicians through complementary and joyful learning experiences. It enriches the lives of students of all ages, infant through adult, by facilitating the learning, playing, and performing of the world’s great music. The VSO School of Music offers comprehensive and integrated programs taught by exceptional and passionate faculty whose goals are to engage and inspire students while celebrating their accomplishments.