DJ Anna Lunoe is the face of the new 2-year Bachelor of Music from SAE Creative Media Institute that puts students on the fast track to a music industry career, whatever their ambitions.

It can be a long road in gaining the skills and connections to create a sustainable career in the music industry. But a new, accelerated Bachelor of Music from SAE is looking to launch careers sooner.

Anna Lunoe is the face of the new degree, and for the Australian EDM DJ, vocalist, producer and radio host, finding her tribe and building technical skills were pivotal in propelling her career forward.

“I had a really strong pull towards music from a young age and started looking for a role for myself to play,” Anna says, recalling how as a 6-year-old she made her own radio shows using a tape deck.

As a teen, any thoughts of making music or DJing were discarded. “Beyoncé and Britney were already famous by my age” and there was “one guy in my grade who DJ’d all the parties on vinyl”.

Exploring other avenues, Anna fronted various bands before taking a different tack. “I wrote to bands on Myspace and offered to bake them muffins before the show if they would let me film an interview with them.”

Everything fell into place after she completed a digital audio workstation course while volunteering at Sydney radio station FBi.

“I think finding a community of like-minded people at FBi had a lot to do with ultimately connecting me with a path that was sustainable and made more sense for me,” Anna says. “I started to find my feet as a broadcaster and DJ.”

Anna says having strong technical skills has been important for her. A fixture on the international club scene, she was the first woman to play the main stage of EDC, has toured with The Weeknd and spun the decks at international fashion shows like Fendi, Prada and Louis Vuitton.

“Ultimately a show is a show,” Anna muses. “But being an extremely proficient DJ and live performer has been pivotal to building a sustainable business for me personally.”

Building a wide network of industry professionals for feedback and career advice was also key. Now, she’s in a position to return the favour to the next generation. “Ultimately people who work in music have a strong inner voice propelling them to act, and that is frightening to listen to but I respect anyone who has the guts to move on it.”

The face of SAE’s new 2-year Bachelor of Music, Anna says the degree allows students to explore and nurture multiple creative outlets for their talents.

Not being pigeonholed into one creative outlet is a hallmark of her own long career. She believes being multifaceted and able to pivot makes a career in the music industry in Australia “a lot more sustainable”.

SAE’s fast-tracked degree gives students a unique learning experience that’s tailored to their career aspirations, so they can seamlessly transition into the music industry.

It offers an array of electives and students can learn everything from songwriting and music business to studio music production.

Or they can specialise in one of four pathways: electronic music production; songwriting and music production; music industry and business; or creative musicianship, which is focussed on building an artist’s vision, brand, identity and developing a unique musical personality.

“SAE’s Bachelor of Music allows you to select the courses that most interest you and build your skillset cohesively,” Anna says.

For over 45 years, SAE has been the leader in creative media, educating the next generation of creatives and innovators.

Some SAE graduates to have made it in the music industry include Sampa The Great, Jon George and James Hunt from Rüfüs Du Sol, Chelsea Cullen, Mr Bill and Isaac De Boni.

This new degree prepares graduates for careers as music artists, songwriters, composers for visual or interactive media such as film and games, music producers, electronic music artists, DJs, artist managers, content creators and music entrepreneurs.

SAE’s music course leader and producer, David Turner, says they designed the course from a blank slate.

“We looked for guidance from the music industry and the emerging trends that will define what it looks like in the future. One of the driving questions was ‘what does the industry look for in people who are just entering the sector?’” David explains.

“We then went about matching those skills in a degree which would appeal to students. Part of that was understanding how much the music industry has changed – it’s not the domain of specialists anymore.”

The people that survive and thrive in today’s industry are multi-skilled – they’re talented, motivated and very business savvy. Consequently, he says, course lecturers themselves are serious practitioners with a “world class portfolio of modern recent work” or industry-leading academics – and all are experts in their field.

Going back to Anna’s experience of finding her tribe of like-minded people, David says studying the industry-focused Bachelor of Music opens the door to lifelong friendships and real-world collaborations.

“The beauty of SAE is you’re surrounded by creative students from other disciplines, which offers these fantastic opportunities to collaborate on work just like you would if you were working in the industry” he says.

“We’ve spent a long time consulting industry professionals, so students can expect a music course that’s highly relevant, that equips them with sought-after skills, and provides them with inspiring work placement opportunities through our industry partners.”

SAE’s Bachelor of Music degree is taking enrolments now. You can tour the Adelaide campus and also speak with a SAE Course Advisor.

Book a tour here.