Names 11-Year-Old Drum Phenom Milana First-Ever Brand Ambassador
The world’s largest provider of music lessons and music education content, 9 Beats Music & Technology Group, announced the launch of its North American subsidiary, 9 Beats USA, LLC and music education partnership with leading manufacturer of electronic musical instruments, Roland at The NAMM Show 2020. To mark the announcement, 9 Beats USA co-owner and world-renowned drummer, Thomas Lang, performed at NAMM 2020 alongside 9 Beats USA brand ambassador, 11-year-old drumming phenom, Milana, on the newly launched Roland V-Drums Acoustic Design (VAD) series drum sets.
(Photo by Francesco Desmaele)
Founded in 2003, Tianjin China-based 9 Beats Music & Technology Group has utilized over 8000 trained educators, a 68-volume course curriculum and a robust cloud-based learning app to provide music education to over 350,000 students annually in more than 1,200 learning locations across Mainland China. In 2019, 9 Beats Music & Technology Group founder, Li Hongyu, partnered with world-renowned drummer and educator, Thomas Lang, to launch 9 Beats USA. Headquartered in Oak Park, CA, 9 Beats USA, LLC is slated to open in 2020 with plans to expand throughout North and South America.
“9 Beats Music & Technology Group has enjoyed a long-standing relationship with Roland,” said Hongyu. “Back in 2008, we began building a strong relationship with Roland to help develop drum education programs, and in 2017, we proudly named Roland the exclusive sponsor of our ‘Future Star’ talent competition which has grown to over 12,000 annual participants. Extending our partnership with Roland to include 9 Beats USA will help us accomplish our mutual goal of engaging players of all ages to learn, play and experience the fun of making music.”
9 Beats USA and Roland also welcomed the first-ever 9 Beats USA Brand Ambassador, Milana. A passionate drummer since the age of six, Milana has performed with such legendary artists as Sheila E. and Stewart Copeland and was 1st Runner-Up Worldwide in her age division in the 2019 Hit Like A Girl® International Drum Competition. She has also been featured on NBC’s ‘Little Big Shots’, Gwen Stefani’s ‘You Make It Feel Like Christmas’ music video, ‘Little Big Shots Holiday Special’ [NBC], and ‘The Chad Smith Show’ on Drum Channel. Milana will work with 9 Beats USA and Roland global brands to highlight learning music as a fun, creative and engaging way to build self-esteem, improve concentration, teach teamwork along with enhancing language, motor and cognitive abilities.
9 Beats USA locations will feature exclusive Roland-branded electronic drum lesson rooms and a variety of Roland gear such as electronic drum kits alongside acoustic drum classrooms. Enrolled students can participate in highly effective small-group lessons utilizing 9 Beats’ pioneering curriculums which include courses in rock drums, jazz drums, and snare drum rudiments in addition to acoustic guitar and acoustic bass among other instruments. 9 Beats and Roland will also work jointly with other key partners to host destination music education camps and programs inviting aspiring players of all ages to #BeTheDrummer.
