UK institution The Academy Of Contemporary Music (ACM) have announced the inauguration of a Freddie Mercury Scholarship.
Endorsed by Queen's Roger Taylor and Brian May, the award comes in the year which will see the celebration of the singer’s 70th birthday on September 5.
The first ever scholarship in Mercury’s name will be awarded to one student studying on the 2 Year Creative Artist route of the BA (Hons) Music Industry Practice programme, the 3 Year BA (Hons) Commercial Songwriting programme or the 3 Year BA (Hons) Professional Music Performance degree programme at ACM, as delivered from the academy’s London campuses.
The ACM@Metropolis academy is based at the legendary Metropolis Studios in Chiswick and ACM London (a brand new campus for September 2016) is based in Clapham. The prestigious scholarship will fully fund a student’s entire study path and is worth up to £27,000.
The relationship between ACM and Metropolis Studios (one of Freddie’s favourite recording studios and where Queen recorded much of their Innuendo album, their last in Freddie’s lifetime) gives unprecedented access to ACM students. They study parts of their courses at the studio complex, integrating them into the facility’s in-house label, publishing and productions teams, and enabling them to make use of the world-class facilities, giving them genuine, real time experience of the music industry as it exists today.
“Freddie’s name endures in so many ways,” says Taylor, “so it’s therefore great to have this scholarship celebrating his musical genius!”
“This scholarship will be a lasting tribute to Freddie and the path he blazed,” adds May. “He would be happy to see young talent being helped to blossom. Of course Metropolis holds a very special place in Queen history, and it’s a pleasure to continue that link.”
Applications for the ACM’s study programmes beginning September 2016 are now open.
All applicants to the 2 Year Creative Artist route of the BA (Hons) Music Industry Practice programme, the 3 Year BA (Hons) Commercial Songwriting programme and the 3 Year BA (Hons) Professional Music Performance degree programme will be considered for the Freddie Mercury Scholarship.
Mercury died November 24, 1991 of complications from AIDS at the age of 45.
Queen and Adam Lambert are reteaming for an extensive early summer tour of Europe, starting with an appearance at Rock In Rio in Lisboa, Portugal on May 20.
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