Olivia K. TakeLessons Instructor music, Percussion, Drum Set Decatur, GA

Hello! I'm Olivia! I am a percussionist and drummer, and I love to perform contemporary percussion ensemble music as well as rock out on the drums. I've been playing drums since I was 14 years old, and percussion since I was 12. I got "the music bug" when I was 16 years old, and have been pursuing the joy of music ever since. Over time, my musical interests have molded and changed, thusly I have gotten to have a lot of wild experiences! I enjoy teaching privately.

My other interests include watching Star Wars films, mallet-wrapping, fishing, swimming, card-playing, board games, live music, Wisconsin beer, cooking, my family, my friends, exercising outdoors, and, most recently, learning to play double bass pedal.

Master of Music in Percussion Performance, Georgia State University 2006

Bachelor of Music in Percussion Performance, University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music 2004

 Professional Ensembles                                               
Chix with Stix Percussion Group  (endorsed by Innovative Percussion)                                   
Peachtree Modern Opera Company                                 
Cerberus Percussion                                            
Ludwig Symphony Orchestra –timpanist                           
Georgia Brass Band                                                     
*Macon Symphony Orchestra                                           
*Columbus Symphony Orchestra                                       
*Fox Valley Symphony Orchestra                                       
*Green Bay Opera Company                                           
(*=sub only)

Drumming                                               
The Disregardables, Asher Lev, Dismorphic

University/Festival Ensembles                                           
GSU Orchestra                                                                 
GSU Symphonic Wind Ensemble 

GSU Percussion Ensemble                                        
Metropolitan Youth Symphony Orchestra of Atlanta                  
Blue Lake Festival Band                                                   
Blue Lake Orchestra                  

Blue Lake Staff Band                                                                                                                                                Blue Lake Percussion Ensemble
CCM Concert Orchestra             
CCM Wind Symphony                   
CCM Symphony Band                   
CCM Percussion Ensemble               
CCM Steel Drum Band                   
Composer’s Practicum

Previous Teaching Positions:

Georgia State University, Wheeler High School, Stockbridge Middle School, Drew Charter School

East Coweta High School, Lakeside High School, Fayette Middle School

Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, Walton High School

Learning music is a discipline, much like exercising or meditation, but added to the combination of mind and body is Sound. As a student of mine you will learn whatever it is you want to learn. If you can communicate with me your musical desires, I will guide you there. I love to  figure out how YOU learn best, and to have a good time as well! Private lessons are only a small part of the picture...the rest of your learning takes place with personal practice time and music listening. If you do not practice, you will gain only a small amount of knowledge and understanding, but if you go home and practice what you have learned, you will become infinitely better and more capable of a drummer, and your enjoyment of the art of percussion will increase. Your willingness to learn is my ability to show you the way to totally awesome musicianship and drumming.

In lessons you will learn to read, speak, and play rhythms in any and all time signatures, as well as how to count, breathing, posture, dynamics, and feel. I put a lot of emphasis on the ability to understand rhythms, both reading and playing by ear. I believe that if a student can understand a musical concept in a number of different ways, then he or she will advance quickly once the understanding is gained. I believe in helping the student become a well-rounded musician, able to thrive in whatever musical situation they wish themselves to be in, as well as multiple other musical situations.

I am a freelance percussionist, and I know what conductors, bandleaders, teachers, and contractors are looking for in a musician. These are the skills I hope to instill in a student, right from the beginning, regardless of whether they are a student preparing for a college music degree or a first-time drummer who has never read a note of music before.

Classical symphonic percussion, all styles of drum set, hand drumming, posture/Alexander technique, marimba/xylophone/vibraphone both 2 and 4 mallet, percussion chamber literature.

music, Percussion, Drum Set