Southern Regional College (SRC) is celebrating national recognition for its Music Department after student Aaron Beattie and tutor Matt Duke both received Special Mentions at the 2026 UK Music Outstanding MAP Graduate (OMG) Awards in Manchester.
Aaron Beattie, lead songwriter with the band The Davids and currently studying for a BA in Creative Music and Audio Production at Southern Regional College, received a Special Mention in the Graduate of the Year category. Matt Duke, Music Course Coordinator and lecturer at SRC, also received a Special Mention in the Tutor of the Year category.
The recognition places SRC's Music Department on a national stage, with its Level 3 Music Performance and Production course selected by UAL Awarding Body as an exemplar programme to represent its provision at this year's awards. The nominations came from a wider educational community encompassing more than 400 centres and 8,000 students, making the recognition a significant achievement for the college.
For Aaron, the recognition marks an important milestone in a journey that began on the college's Level 3 Music Performance and Production course. Having progressed to degree-level study while developing his work as a songwriter and musician, Aaron exemplifies the creative development and progression opportunities that the course aims to provide.
His work as lead songwriter with The Davids reflects the practical, industry-focused approach to learning at SRC, where students are encouraged to develop their own artistic identities, collaborate with other musicians and build the skills needed to pursue careers in the music industry.
The UK Music OMG Awards celebrate emerging talent and the educators and training programmes helping to shape the future of the UK's music industry. UK Music is the collective voice of the UK's music industry, representing organisations from across the sector and championing the talent, skills and education that support its continued success.
The Level 3 Music Performance and Production course provides students with opportunities to develop their performance, songwriting, recording, production and event management skills through practical projects and collaborative experiences. By working on creative productions and developing their professional practice, students gain valuable experience that supports their progression into degree level study and careers across the creative industries.
Speaking about the recognition, Matt Duke said:
"To see Aaron receive a Special Mention at a national level is a fantastic achievement, particularly knowing the journey he has taken from Level 3 through to degree study. Seeing students develop their own creative identities, build confidence and go on to pursue their ambitions in music is one of the most rewarding parts of the job.
"Receiving a Special Mention myself, alongside the recognition for our course through UAL, is also a real credit to the wider team and the students who make the department what it is. We work hard to create an environment where students can develop their skills, take creative risks and gain meaningful experience of the industry.
"We are extremely grateful to UAL for putting our course forward as an exemplar programme and to UK Music for recognising the work taking place at Southern Regional College. It is brilliant to see our students and staff represented on a national stage."
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