Drums with Anna C.

Anna is a San Francisco Bay Area native. A professional drummer for over ten years, Anna has performed, recorded and toured with countless groups of various music styles. Her education includes a B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley (where she was a member of the Cal Band for four years), and Certificates in Commercial Music and Recording Arts from Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, CA. Anna is not only known throughout the United States as a drummer, but also as a concert producer, live sound engineer, record producer, booking agent, tour manager, web designer, graphic designer and instructor. Her teaching experience ranges from preschool education to private instruction to high school drum line. Anna is the director of Music Time Academy, a music lessons/recording studio and retail store in Livermore, CA. Anna is also the owner of Smiling Politely Presents (a production company that has produced hundreds of local shows in the Bay Area) and Hella Buttons (a button manufacturing company that has pressed tens of thousands of buttons for bands). Anna can currently be seen performing with many groups including: Muncie (American Rock), West Grand Blvd (Motown/R&B/Soul), Seth Chapla Band (Rock/Blues), and Jump Back (50s covers). *** Lesson Details *** I tailor lessons to the needs and interests of each individual student, doing my best to ensure that all students gain enjoyment and appreciation not only for drums, but also for music as a whole. In general, I focuses on teaching technique and efficiency, reading music, and developing listening skills. To improve music reading skills, I often use the classic books Syncopation and The Funky Primer (aka the bible of rock and funk drumming). For younger beginners, the Alfred's Kid's Drum Course is one of my favorite methods for learning to read music and for learning general music concepts that the kids can apply to any instrument they may choose to pursue in the future. For building technique, speed, and endurance, I like to introduce students to standard rudiments (they are like the scales for drummers). I also like to encourage students to try to play a rudiments and other exercises along to their favorite songs, since this is a fun way to not only keep a steady tempo, but also to make the repetitive practice less monotonous. I try to balance out the sometimes dry and mathematical reading and rudiment work with more artistic and musical ideas, making sure that no matter how much you study and learn from books, you still always remember that you are practicing the art of music making. This includes working on songs of the student's choosing (which I can pull up on online, in case the student does not own the recordings) and working on improvisation. *** Studio Equipment *** Music Time Academy: Large, sound-treated room with one drum set for the student, with practice drum pads for me to play along with. Home Music Studio: One set of drums in a room of the house dedicated entirely to music Parents are always welcome to sit in on lessons at either location. *** Travel Equipment *** For in-home lessons, I would expect the student to have their own drums and preferably a music stand. I can bring in books and other teaching materials, however it is best if students purchase their own copies of the books we use regularly. *** Specialties *** I teach all styles of drumming. My performing and teaching experience mainly falls in the categories of rock, funk, blues, pop, R&B, soul and jazz. I have 8+ years of experience with marching drum line (tenor drums/quads, snare, cymbals) and have training in classical percussion as well.