OKC's School of Rock Holds Final Exam Concerts

By Rusty Surette, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- It's a milestone for Oklahoma's school of rock. The Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma is celebrating its first completed school year.

ACM at UCO is located in Bricktown and what else would a music school do for its final exam but hold a huge concert featuring 35 student music acts.

"It's great being in Bricktown because there's so many venues. We're going to be performing at eight different venues down here ranging from Toby Keith's to Nonna's to Roosters and Bricktown has totally embraced us," said Scott Booker, the CEO of ACM at UCO.

Admission to all venues is free. See a full list of bands and where they're performing.

"This event helps us showcase both the great progress our students have made at the ACM@UCO during our first year and the invaluable support we've enjoyed from our Bricktown neighbors," Booker said. "We're also excited to share with the community the tremendous talent we've got at Oklahoma's 'School of Rock.'"

The ACM@UCO opened its doors to its first class of students in August 2009 at its new facility on the fourth floor of the Oklahoma Hardware Building in Bricktown on Flaming Lips Alley.

Based on the successful model from the original ACM in Guilford, England, the ACM@UCO is an innovative music program unlike any other in the U.S., offering an industry-based, "real world" educational experience for those interested in a career in contemporary music.

The ACM@UCO offers a two-year associate degree programs in bass, drums, guitar, music production and vocals, with keyboard and music business programs launching this fall.

Classes are taught by music industry veterans and supplemented with master classes featuring invited guests. In its first year, the ACM@UCO welcomed Roger Daltrey, lead singer of The Who; singer-songwriter Simon Townshend; blues guitarist Joe Bonamassa; and Flaming Lips' Steven Drozd, along with others, for master classes.