Ilan is a British film composer who has established himself as an exciting young talent in the world of film music. Born in London into a musical family, Ilan grew up playing violin and later took up playing guitar in bands. He studied Music and English literature at Leeds University, during which time he also worked with film composer Ed Shearmur learning first-hand the technique of film composition. After graduating, he went on to work with other film composers such as Michael Kamen and Hans Zimmer. At this time Ilan began scoring his own projects, and his talent for creating cinematic music on a limited budget soon gained him recognition within the film industry.
Fully-deserved success for part-time seniors
Six years of study ends on high as graduation beckonsThe School of Music is delighted to add two students with a difference to its graduate roll of honour this summer. For Cath Currier and Ramesh Narayanan, both 61, have both taken the long route to degree success, with six years of part-time study behind them.
Cath has attained her BA in Music after an educational adventure that began back in 2004. Ramesh has taken a similar time to achieve his BA in Popular and World Musics.
Both have also come out with excellent degree results but Cath takes particular credit as the student with the highest mark for the whole of her graduating year.
She comments: ‘It's just an amazing end to my years of studying, of which I've loved almost every minute. It’s been marvellous to work alongside some amazingly talented and lovely young students, who have accepted me completely as one of their own.’
Having spent most of her working life as a physics teacher, Cath later joined her husband’s chemical importing business and it offered her the flexibility to embark on a part-time degree.
She remarks: ‘I wanted to study music because I'd spent a lot of my leisure time singing in choirs, playing in ensembles and listening to music, without actually knowing much about it.’
Cath confesses that she ‘could not have survived the course without the huge help and support of the music dept staff, particularly Student Support Manager Nicki Sapiro all my tutors, not to mention my fellow mature part-time student, Ramesh!’
Ramesh, who has successfully run a transport logistics business for many years, was drawn to Leeds because of his passion for popular music. When he discovered that the department had such a degree he leapt at the chance.
His final dissertation on Route 66, that famed US highway celebrated by Chuck Berry and many other American musicians, has been a particular thrill to pursue.
When he was a first-time Chemistry graduate in the late 1960s, he travelled the famous road and his adventures then – plus his musical interests – have allowed him a return trip, on paper at least! Now he plans to take a longer journey still with ambitions to pursue a Master’s degree which may extend his academic travelogue for another year or two at least.
Date Published: 01 August 2010
Keywords: Cath Currier, Ramesh Narayanan
Keywords: Cath Currier, Ramesh Narayanan
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