Honorary graduate and award-winning producer and composer Giles Martin shared the wisdom and experience he has gained during more than 30 years in the music industry with students at the University of Winchester.
Giles spent a lively hour with students on Music & Sound Production and Popular Music: Production & Performance courses in which he spoke about working with the surviving members of The Beatles as well as Elton John, Metallica and the Chemical Brothers.
His key piece of advice to budding music producers was: “Don’t listen to the process – listen to the end result.”
Giles also said that anyone in the creative industries needed to be competitive to succeed. “Paul McCartney and Elton John are among the most competitive people I’ve ever met.
“Compare yourself to the best there is and then try to beat it.”
Giles, 59, had been dissuaded from entering a career in music by his famous father George, the producer of The Beatles.
He studied American literature and politics at Manchester University before playing in some unsuccessful bands and working in music publicity.
Giles then worked as an assistant to his father, becoming his ears when Martin senior began to go deaf.
Since then, Giles has won two Grammy awards and an Emmy.
Giles is currently working with film director Sam Mendes on his series of four inter-connected Beatles biopics as executive music producer and is also helping actor Harry Lloyd who is playing his father in the movies.
Music and Sound Production student Marcus Wynters said: “'I feel that we were very lucky to have one of the most high-profile people associated with Beatles come and have a Q & A with us. I thought this was a very insightful to get Giles's perspective on what he had learned and how he encouraged and inspired us to pursue our dreams."
Music Programme Leader and Senior Lecturer Robbie Dwyer said: "It is a great privilege to welcome respected industry professionals to the University to meet and speak with our students. They enrich our programmes and reinforce the values that underpin both our Music & Sound Production and Popular Music Performance & Production degrees.
“Giles Martin is another esteemed figure who holds a significant role, not only as a custodian of some of the most influential music in popular music history, but also as someone actively contributing to pioneering developments in our field. The fact that he, and others like him, take the time to visit us helps to validate the work we do. More importantly, it strengthens the experience we offer, because it is the student experience that we offer here at Winchester that always comes first."
Giles Martin with Music Programme Leader and Senior Lecturer Robbie Dwyer
After meeting the music students Giles was a panel member at the University’s Arts and Creativity Question Time event held in the evening but before that he toured the music production facilities - hear what he had to say HERE.
About Giles Martin
Emmy and Grammy Award-winning music producer, songwriter and composer, Giles has extensive experience working with some of the world’s biggest selling artists and has been critically acclaimed for his record production, live show, television and film creation.
His stage production credits include Music Director for The Beatles LOVE resident show in Las Vegas with Cirque Du Soleil and Sound of Magic for Disney.
Film production credits include the Elton John biopic Rocketman, the Amy Winehouse biopic Back to Black as well as working on projects with Martin Scorsese, Ron Howard, Matthew Vaughn and Peter Jackson.
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In 2024, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Music by the University of Winchester – his only music qualification.
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