QUEEN’S ROGER TAYLOR VISITS THE ACADEMY OF CONTEMPORARY MUSIC TO OPEN NEW ‘ROGER TAYLOR ZILDJIAN STUDIO’

QUEEN’S ROGER TAYLOR VISITS THE ACADEMY OF CONTEMPORARY MUSIC TO OPEN NEW ‘ROGER TAYLOR ZILDJIAN STUDIO’

Queen’s Roger Taylor visited the Academy of Contemporary Music (ACM) in Guildford on Friday, October 28 to open ACM’s new 80 seat Roger Taylor Zildjian Studio in association with Zildjian cymbals. During his visit, students were lucky enough to meet the legendary sticksman and benefit from Roger’s knowledge during a question and answer session, which was then followed by a signing session and a performance by ACM students.

ACM’s Roger Taylor Zildjian Studio boasts a stage with full band set up and lighting rig, plus an incredible display of Queen memorabilia, which has been kindly gifted to the Academy by Roger Taylor and Zildjian.  The Queen collection includes drum skins, sticks and posters from huge Queen tours such as The Works and News Of The World, all of which have been signed by Roger. The studio will be of invaluable use to students studying at the Academy across the Performance, Production and Business faculties. 

Zildjian are one of ACM’s longest-standing supporters, having sponsored and provided cymbals to the Academy ever since it opened its doors back in 1995. The company’s own illustrious history stems back much further, to its founding in 1623, since which they have supplied world-class products to internationally renowned performing artists, including Roger Taylor himself.

Speaking about the studio, Roger said ‘This is just amazing. We had nothing at school, in fact nothing but disapproval. There was no school drum kit, let alone a room full of drum kits. So this is like a dream come true.’

Roger Taylor is one of many acclaimed recording artists to lend their time and support to the Academy-speaking about Roger’s visit, ACM’s Business Development and Commercial Manager James Connell said. ‘Roger is an inspirational artist and rock legend, and we are privileged and honoured that he has chosen to support ACM in this way’.

ACM provides opportunities to study part and full-time at Diploma, Higher Diploma, Degree and Master level. For further information please visit www.acm.ac.uk . All places are limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Founded in 1995, ACM’s unique industry led educational model – unprecedented in British education – has already ensured an impressive success rate of placement within the music industry. Founded in 1995 with a Princes Trust Award, ACM UK alone is home to 1,200 full-time and 400 part-time students and offers MA and degree courses as well as certHE and Btec programmes in a number of practical music disciplines including Drums, Bass, Vocal, Guitar, Keyboard, Audio Production, Creative Sound Design, Tour Production and Management and Music Business.  The curriculum is focused on structuring courses that work hand-in-hand with fulfilling the needs of the music sector and its changing skill gaps, and has a business development team, which actively seeks out opportunities for its students. 

In 2008, ACM won the Queen’s Award for Innovation In Education and saw two of its students, Newton Faulkner and Amelle Berrabah (Sugababes) secure UK No.1 albums.  In 2009, following extremely successful relationships in South Africa & Europe, ACM opened the first of its U.S academies, ACM@UCO in Oklahoma City in association with the University of Central Oklahoma.  In 2010, ACM opened a new and unique Artist Development Centre in Guildford and launched a suite of contemporary music education franchises to attract students aged from 5 – 16 to further extend the opportunity for more young people to benefit from learning contemporary music.