The World’s Leading Maker of Cymbals, Drumsticks, and Mallets Has Partnered with Mike Dolbear to Launch the Zildjian Young Drummer of the Year Competition.

September 1, 2024 – (Norwell, MA) Avedis Zildjian Co. (Zildjian) today 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 footprint 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 expanded 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,” said 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 the 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!”