Student Beth Goudie wins Songwriting Prize at Academy of Music & Sound
AMS Online student, Beth Goudie has won the Academy of Music and Sound Songwriting Award at the annual AMS Graduation Awards. The awards, which take place every year, are open to both AMS Online and AMS (Academy of music and Sound) UK students, and give out awards for Songwriting, production and performance.
Beth studied BA (Hons) Professional Music (Performance) with AMS Online, and is set to graduate this summer. Her debut album out in July, adding to an impressive set of recent achievements. After receiving the news of her win, Beth commented: "Receiving the AMS Graduation Songwriting Award has been such a special addition to what was already an incredibly rewarding year. As a songwriter, an award like this is a real honour and encouragement as it gives me a new level of confidence as I move forward in my career. My time with AMS has added so much to my professional and personal life and it’s an experience I would recommend to any musician. Thank you so much to everyone at AMS for providing such an enriching opportunity, it’s one I will be forever grateful for.”
Beth was nominated by AMS Tutor Kimwei McCarthy, who spoke about Beth’s songwriting portfolio: "An astoundingly crafted EP of songs, which appear simple of first listen, but are in fact meticulously arranged, so that every note and every syllable fuse and ignite. These songs sound ancient and yet current, showing that they speak to something timelessly human in us".
Listen to Beth play her song Bouncy Castles live on BBC Radio Wales below.
'Bouncy Castles' in a particular felt perceptive and wry and encapsulated the song writers dream of making the personal global. All in all a very rewarding and enriching listening experience with the beautiful recording of the voice adding both poise and fragility"
Judge, Rev Hammer
Each year the AMS Graduation Awards, which cross over both AMS Online and the wider Academy of Music and Sound centres, give out awards for the best performer, producer and of course, songwriter from all the BA students.
AMS Principle, Rev Hammer, was the judge this year for the Songwriting award, he was looking for a song with a strong chorus or hook line, a memorable melody, a song which has both universal and personal appeal, in essence a song which may be around in twenty years and still sung then.
It’s fair to say then, that Rev was impressed with Beth’s talent. Of Beth’s recordings, he had this to say: "Utterly charming recordings. The sparseness of the approach works perfectly with the lonesome feel and longing of the message. I particularly liked the lyrical content of songs such as 'Hiraeth', 'Bouncy Castles', 'Ashes' and 'Home'. 'Bouncy Castles' in a particular felt perceptive and wry and encapsulated the song writers dream of making the personal global. All in all a very rewarding and enriching listening experience with the beautiful recording of the voice adding both poise and fragility".
Beth is set to be awarded her prize, which includes a free recording day at Studio54 in Exeter, at her graduation ceremony. Two other awards, one for Performance and another for Production up for grabs, though details on winners are yet to be announced. Stay tuned to AMS UK's main site for updates.
"As a songwriter, an award like this is a real honour and encouragement as it gives me a new level of confidence as I move forward in my career. My time with AMS has added so much to my professional and personal life and it’s an experience I would recommend to any musician."
- Winner, Beth Goudie
Read more about the awards on the AMS UK website, and follow Beth music on her social channels and Spotify Artist Profile.
