The Academy of Contemporary Music is a well-regarded institution offering a range of contemporary music programs and courses. It has campuses in Guildford and London, United Kingdom. ACM is known for its focus on practical education and industry connections, aiming to provide students with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in the modern music industry.

ACM offers programs in various fields, including music performance, music production, songwriting, music business, and more. The curriculum is designed to be industry-relevant and often incorporates real-world projects, collaborations, and opportunities for live performance. The faculty at ACM comprises experienced professionals from the music industry, which helps students gain valuable insights and mentorship.

To determine the overall quality of the program at ACM, it would be beneficial to research student testimonials, review rankings, and ratings provided by reliable sources. It is also recommended to explore the specific program you are interested in to understand its structure, course content, and potential career outcomes. Additionally, visiting the ACM campus, attending open days, or reaching out to current or former students can provide further insights into the student experience.

ACM was a great experience for a number of reasons, it was an amazing way to connect with other musicians, gain contacts (that I still keep in touch with to this day) and develop my craft in ways that I didn’t even think of before joining.

I was on the Music Industry Practice course and whilst I most certainly learnt a lot about the industry that I can now put into practice as an independent singer/songwriter, I often found that unless you already knew a lot about production (regardless your experience or interest in production despite not being on a production course) then it was quite difficult to pass certain parts of The Music Industry Practice course.

At the time I was a pop singer, however I found that the teachers at ACM weren’t really interested in the music unless it was very indie/rock based. This made me feel like I needed to change my sound just to be appreciated and recognised as a musician. I also found that communication and organisation was poor, at times I would turn up to class with no tutor. This was particularly frustrating as I had to drive from Southampton to Guildford for my classes and pay for parking but then would find out my classes were sometimes cancelled so would have to drive home.

Regardless of my experience, everyone’s is different and overall it was definitely unforgettable for both positive and unfortunately negative reasons. I would recommend coming here for the connections and uni life, but unfortunately feel there are probably more organised establishments out there.

My time at the Academy of Contemporary Music left me slightly wanting more. Although I was there for two years, the first was a year ravaged by COVID and the second felt somewhat underwhelming. However, the work and tasks I did at the Academy were very enjoyable, but on the other hand, the results of the work and the feedback I got often felt inconsistent and confusing and as a result, I have mixed feelings about my time at ACM.