ACM@UCO enrollment is now open for our Summer 2020 semester, with courses led by a lineup of innovative and experienced music industry professionals and three core areas of study: Contemporary Music Production, Business and Performance.

Students at the Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma (ACM@UCO) can earn an Associate’s degree in our three core music areas and a Bachelor’s degree in Commercial Production or Audio Production.

Minors are available in the areas of Contemporary Music Performance, Contemporary Music Production, Contemporary Music Business, Songwriting, and Post-Production Audio.

The Academy of Contemporary Music is a division of UCO’s College of Fine Arts and Design. For more information and to enroll, please visit acm.uco.edu, email get.info@acm.uco.edu or call 405-974-4700.

Here’s more about our professors and courses in Contemporary Music Performance for the Summer 2020 semester:

MITCH BELL

teaching: Applied Instruction I, II, III, IV — Guitar

Bell is an Oklahoma City-based guitarist, songwriter and producer who is best-known for his work with Grammy Award-nominated artist Zhu and grunge/R&B duo THEY. He has also worked and collaborated with Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Trombone Shorty, Charli XCX, Skrillex, Tame Impala, Portugal. The Man and others. He has performed at major festivals such as Coachella, Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits, as well as on main stages across Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia and Malaysia.

BRENT BERRY

teaching: Applied Instruction I, II, III, IV — Drums

Berry started playing drum set at the age of 10 after watching his uncle play. Soon after, he enrolled in middle school band and began competing and drumming in concert, orchestra, jazz big acts and rock and country bands. In college, he studied under drum set masters Jim Chapin, Russ McKinnon and Butch Miles. As a side man, he has toured the US, Japan and Europe. Outside of teaching at ACM@UCO, Berry stays busy freelancing in and around Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Dallas while managing his busy private teaching studio in Edmond.

MATTHEW DUCKWORTH

teaching: Applied Instruction I, II, III, IV — Drums

Duckworth is an Oklahoma City-based multi-instrumentalist and drummer for psychedelic rock act The Flaming Lips, which he joined in 2014. He’s also half of the DJ and musical performance duo The Brothers Griiin with Nicholas Ley. His creative projects with The Lips include work with Miley Cyrus, Mick Jones of the Clash, Reggie Watts, New Fumes, and members of Foxygen, Spaceface, Peaking Lights, and Stardeath and White Dwarfs, among others.

JOE GILLIAN

teaching: Applied Instruction I, II, III, IV — Bass

Gillian started out his professional music career at age 14 by playing Western swing music three nights a week … for 10 years straight. He has played with musicians such as Jami Smith and Kristin Chenoweth, and has opened for Markus Miller, Randy Travis and Willie Nelson. Additionally, Gillian toured with Ty England for a year and a half. He currently plays with The Groove Merchants, a successful contemporary music act out of Oklahoma City.

DANNY HARGIS

teaching: Applied Instruction I, II, III, IV — Guitar

Born and raised in Oklahoma City, Hargis is the quintessential “musician’s musician.” At age 13, he began his journey to become a professional guitarist and teacher of the craft. All told, he has been practicing, learning, writing, teaching, performing and living guitar for more than three decades. His teaching philosophy reflects his musical career: A labyrinth of practical application. In the classroom, he helps students find their perfect third while mastering technique, tone, attack and style. He assesses and amplifies students’ innate musical talents.

CHRIS HICKS

teaching: Applied Instruction I, II, III, IV — Guitar

Hicks plays saxophone and guitar in every style, including jazz, R&B and country. The musician and session artist has worked, recorded and performed with producer Josh Leo (Alabama, LeAnn Rimes, Bad Company, Jimmy Buffett, Glenn Frey), Reba McEntire, Sara Evans, Brooks & Dunn, Martina McBride, Trisha Yearwood and jazz trumpet great Chet Baker, among others.

DAVID BROYLES

teaching: Music Fundamentals
and
Aural Skills

Broyles is an Oklahoma songwriter, guitarist, vocalist, composer/arranger and instructor with a two-decade career in the music industry. You’ve probably heard his band, aka Dr. Pants, on Jersey Shore, BBC World Cup Soccer, CBS Sunday Morning, Comedy Bang! Bang!, and Mtv’s Next.

MICHAEL HOSTY

teaching: Cultural Studies

This singer, teacher, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, comedian and one-man band performs up to 250 shows a year, well, for about as long as we can remember. His song topics are often a case study in popular culture. He’s a storyteller through and through, just himself with a guitar, kick-drum and kazoo.