Adam Gorry

Describe your experience at Surrey in three words:

Potential, creativity, experimentation

What's something you couldn't live without at University?

The incredible friends I’ve made and people I’ve worked with that have made my experience so wonderful. Above all the incredible facilities, the environment becomes so special because of the people you engage with; I frequently pinch myself with gratitude over how greatly I feel a sense of belonging at Surrey.

Is there a song that reminds you of Surrey?

In my first Freshers week, no professional artists were performing due to the pandemic. The Student Union asked if any students wanted to perform, so I jumped at the opportunity and organised a band of students. We had never met before until a rehearsal the day before the gig, and it was my first ever public performance – to around 400 students! We played eight songs, one of which was the You & Me Song by The Wannadies, which became one of my most listened songs of that year.

Choosing Surrey

Whilst choosing my A levels I was certain I didn’t want to end up in a job where I felt stuck. After seeing a phenomenal performance by Galantis at the Roundhouse in 2018, I knew music was the best way to develop my ability for creative output and continue to grow into the person I wanted to become. During my A level music studies, I became aware that I was attracted to some of the most unusual parts of music where there were no strict Western Classical limits, and experimentation was celebrated. This is where Surrey stood out from other universities – the possibilities felt so limitless I was intimidated by the apparent freedoms, but the mixed feelings of fear and excitement ultimately drove me to choose Surrey.

Staff and facilities

Regarding the Department of Music and Media staff, competent is an understatement; they are experts in their fields and are more than happy to discuss and provide opportunities to engage with their passions. The next most important things one wishes for is that the staff are enthusiastic, and that they care about the students. Simply put, this is absolutely true of the DMM staff.

Regrettably, I am leaving just as a wealth of new facilities and equipment are being installed, though it is already apparent these will be much improved from our already good previous facilities.  

Your Surrey experience

Despite the pandemic, I have been prolific with my participation in societies. I have dabbled in Gospel Choir, Surrey Stage Crew, No Wave, Composers’ Society and Video Game Society. In 2022, as societies began to recover more rapidly, I became active in those which were recovering that I had taken an interest in since joining. These include The Stag Magazine, Stag TV, and Stag Radio, the latter for which I became the Events & Marketing Manager and Social Secretary.

I am prolific at events organising, and am fascinated with the range of emotions and experiences music can bring – I use my skills for arranging events to engage in my passion with lots of people who have a similar interest.