Music diploma with a touch of the Beatles

It was the last time the Beatles worked together on a new album. Shortly after, in September 1969, it was to be released as "Abbey Road", the location where the Fab Four once again made music instead of bickering. Both Pink Floyd and Oasis produced some of their hits at Abbey Road Studios. The string of celebrities can be continued with Robbie Williams, Radiohead and others.

Future graduates of Abbey Road Institute will feel the weight of history on their shoulders. After all, the makers of "Abbey Road" no longer restrict themselves to producing music; as of this year, they have also started to produce new talents. Abbey Road Studios – once the first professional production facility for music – have now become a place for education and knowledge. Following the establishment of Abbey Road Institute in London, a Berlin branch has now been set up. Students take courses in all three fields: audio engineering and acoustics, music theory and production, and management and music business.

According to the institute, the curriculum is based on years of experience training their own engineers. All teachers are industry professionals themselves. A 'hands-on' approach is at the heart of the programme. "I wish I would have had access to such high-quality training when I started out in the industry", says engineer and producer Steve Lillywhite, who nevertheless went on to win five Grammy Awards.

However, due to the very practical style of teaching the Institute does not seek state recognition, noting that "with state-recognition, courses have to be taught by academics. It is our experience that these academics do not have the practical skills that we expect our teachers to have." For those interested, this means that if they make it into the select circle of the 20 chosen students, they have to raise the course fees of EUR 11,650 (if paid up-front) or EUR 12,390 (if paid in monthly instalments) themselves.

Incidentally, the Beatles’ relationship had already been shattered long before they started working on "Abbey Road". All the same, the recording sessions were said to have been surprisingly professional. The question remains whether this anecdote, too, can be put down to the studio’s special karma steeped in musical history. One thing is clear though: Abbey Road is no longer just a place for music professionals, but also for those wishing to become such.