Zildjian on October 8th, 2024, made an exciting announcement and unveiled plans to expand the U.K. Young Drummer of the Year contest – the U.K.’s original and largest young drummer competition – into the Zildjian Young Drummer of the Year Competition. Partnering with Young Drummer of the Year founder, Mike Dolbear, Zildjian will continue to hold the competition in the U.K. and will expand the competition’s presence globally.
“Our company is rooted in supporting drummers throughout their musical journey and it is an honor to enter into a long-term partnership with Mike Dolbear to highlight the immensely talented drummers who compete in the U.K., and soon expand Young Drummer of the Year globally,” said Zildjian CEO John Stephans. “Helping drummers find their sound throughout the world is at the heart of what we do, and we can’t wait to meet all the drummers who will be participating in 2025 and beyond.”
The comprehensive partnership will focus on support for the upcoming 2025 U.K. Young Drummer of the Year competition, with global expansion details to be shared in late 2024.
“The Young Drummer of the Year competition has been a huge and important part of my life for 22 years. I’m so proud of what we have achieved and the amazing talent we have seen and nurtured over the years,” recounted founder Mike Dolbear. “We have had wonderful support from the industry, and I am very excited to announce that I will partner with Zildjian for all future Young Drummer competitions. Zildjian is one of the biggest musical brands in the world and they understand the importance of looking after the next generations of drummers. Zildjian will be the perfect fit to help take the competition to the next level and together we will be taking the competitions around the world!”
Founded in 2002, Young Drummer of the Year offers contestants (16 and under) a once-in-a-lifetime platform to showcase their drumming talent nationally and internationally. Since the competition’s beginning, the event has seen stupendous growth, attracting an ever-increasing number of entries and seeing the bestest in terms of drumming talent. The U.K. Young Drummer of the Year competition finals are held in February at a central location, with the winner receiving a trophy, a prestigious title, and often, drum and cymbal endorsement deals.
Entries for the 2025 U.K. Young Drummer of the Year competition open October 15th and close November 15th. For full details visit the site.