Drums with Douglas A.

Doug, 27, is quickly becoming one of Connecticut’s most up and coming drummers and teachers when it comes to Connecticut drum lessons. A graduate of Western Connecticut State University (WCSU), Alley obtained a Bachelor’s of Science in Music Education with an emphasis in classical percussion in 2011. Studying under the tutelage of Dave Smith and Patrick Smith (New Haven Symphony), he would eventually obtain his Connecticut State Teaching Certification the following year in 2012. At WCSU, Alley vigorously studied all of the major percussion instruments. He focused most of his energy on snare drum, marimba, and timpani, but also fell in love with playing all of the percussion accessories. Spending hours each day practicing various orchestral excerpts on different percussion instruments, he would always find himself being drawn back to his first passion, the drum set. Currently, Doug is the drummer of the hard rock band, Mile Marker Zero (MMZ), and his music has been promoted on various platforms including the Rock Band video game series on XBOX. While playing with MMZ, Doug has been fortunate enough to be featured twice in Modern Drummer Magazine. The first being in October 2009 in the article “30 Drum Stars Give it Up For Neil Peart,” alongside famous percussionists including Cindy Blackman (Lenny Kravitz, Mike Stern), Daniel Adair (Nickleback), Pat Mastelotto (King Crimson), Jon Wysocki (Staind), and many others. He also had a blog feature on www.moderndrummer.com in January 2014. While performing with MMZ, Doug has shared the stage with some of the world’s best drummers such as Gavin Harrison (King Crimson, Porcupine Tree), Matt Halpern (Periphery), Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater, Adrenaline Mob, Winery Dogs), and Nick D’Virgilio (Spock’s Beard). Alley has also performed and recorded with other Connecticut powerhouses as a session drummer, continually entertaining audiences nation wide with his energetic performances and famous “comfy” feel. Doug Alley has been giving drum and percussion lessons in the New Haven County for the past seven years. In that time period, he has learned what works best for young students to gain their full potential whether it is playing drum set for their school’s jazz band, or xylophone for a high school marching band. Being a certified music teacher for the State of Connecticut, Doug understands the importance of a constructed and organized lesson plan to make sure his students succeed. Each drum and percussion lesson is built for the individualized needs of the student he is teaching, while remaining in a very relaxed and fun atmosphere. While taking lessons, students will be given the opportunity to learn the following: Rudiments Music Theory Sight Reading Proper Technique Fills All styles of drumming, including Rock, Jazz, Metal, Funk, Hip-Hop, Classical, marching, and more