First-year Management student scouts talent for leading songwriting duo
Wednesday 04 February 2026
First-year Management student Oscar Qualter says he couldn’t believe how quickly his course led to him working with leading music industry figures.
Just weeks after starting at LIPA Oscar was running auditions and scouting talent for acclaimed songwriting and production duo Max Graham and Matt Thompson. Known professionally as ARCADES, Max and Matt have achieved over three billion Spotify streams with more than 40 million physical album sales worldwide, including three Billboard number one albums with K-Pop band BTS.
The opportunity arose after ARCADES contacted LIPA’s Management teaching team looking for support with a brand-new project. Oscar says: “I didn’t expect in my first term at LIPA to be involved in something as massive as this. It’s so exciting.
“To get an opportunity like this so soon, and to work across so many different parts of the industry, really shows the strength of LIPA’s industry links.”
As part of the project, Oscar was tasked with identifying potential performers. His role included reviewing LIPA music students and visiting two other north west colleges to run auditions.
Following the process, Oscar submitted a shortlist of eleven musicians. “They were really pleased with the people I put forward. Two LIPA music students, Teresa Castrillo (guitar/vocals) and Pernille Brandsnes-Daniel (drums/vocals), were then invited down to London to audition in December.”
In total, twelve performers auditioned in front of a panel of industry professionals, including label executives, producers, songwriters and A&R specialists. Oscar was also part of the auditions, which were run by Camilla Arthur Casting, and contributed to the decision-making. He says the experience has been invaluable.
“A lot of what we’ve learned in the first term has been theoretical, so it was amazing to see that put into practice so quickly.”
Oscar continues to work with ARCADES, with details of the new project set to be released later this year. He believes LIPA’s teaching approach has played a key role in his success. “Because LIPA has given me a really strong understanding of how the music industry works, I’ve been able to have meaningful conversations with these professionals.”
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