Santa Cruz, CA Percussion Lessons

s, as well as international festival performances and touring in Canada, Norway, Mexico, UK (England, Scotland, Northern Ireland), and Republic of Ireland. His past teaching and performing experiences have really helped shaped the musician he is today.

Aside from preforming and private lessons, he is the founder of his preschool program Wee Rock Music, serves as adjunct faculty at Mesa Community College, and is the Entertainment Coordinator for Tempe Festival of The Arts. As a writer, his work has been published in Phoenix New Times and Modern Drummer, and his new children's drum book, Wee Beats, Wee Eats, is set for release in 2018. And also is an accomplished DJ.

Benard also co-scored the 2012 feature-length documentary, The Immigration Paradox, with Tobie Milford. Active in the music industry for more than 15 years, Henri is experienced in production, artist management, booking, merchandising, copyright, graphic design, promotions, licensing, teaching, publishing, writing, and live and studio performances.

A life-long learner, Henri is always finding new experiences and new ways to connect with his students, as learning comes just as much from the student as it does the teacher. You can always find him around "the music." 

Henri is endorsed by TJS Custom Drums and Los Cabos Drumsticks.

*** Lesson Details ***
Students who study with me can expect for their guitar, drum kit, percussion, or piano lessons to be top-quality, personalized, and above all, extremely fun sessions that will cater to the students musical backgrounds, interests, and needs. I create extremely organized and specifically focused lessons so that students feel comfortable, not pressured, while learning their craft. The lessons I teach are a combination of developmental sight reading music, learning student chosen songs (depending on ability), inspiring and encouraging creative abilities, warm-up and strengthening exercises, proper techniques, listening for internal hearing, composition dynamics, chords, finger-picking (guitar only) and rudiments (drum kit only).

After 3 months of lessons together, students will have started learning several key elements to becoming an outstanding musician. They will have learned proper form and technique, warm-up/skill-building exercises, to read basic notation, and basic rhythms/rudiments. Guitar/Piano students will be able to play at least one song utilizing both melody and chords. For drum kit/percussion, students should have no problem reading basic drum beats and being able to play through a simple song. With proper, steady practice, most students will achieve much more. I also focus on creative thinking, professionalism, and instrument tuning. Finally, the students will have started to develop a solid level of discipline that is required of any aspiring human being! Remember, "practice doesn't make perfect, practice makes permanent."

*** Studio Equipment ***
Electronic Roland V-Drums, Acoustic and Electric Guitars, Casio CTK-800, LP Assorted Percussions, Protools LE, Logic Pro, Korg Electribe, Pioneer XDJ-XR, Music Books

*** Travel Equipment ***
I can provide drum sticks, guitar, keyboards, percussion instruments, and all developmental material for students to retain and practice.

I expect my students to be providing the necessary musical equipment as well (guitars, drum kits, percussion instruments, piano/keyboard) for private lessons in home. If they do not have these in the home to practice with, the lessons are much less effective for your student.

*** Specialties ***
I specialize in the following styles of playing:

Rock, Hip - Hop, All Latin, Jazz, Funk, Blues, R and B, Gospel, and Dance. I also have a very good feel for World Music as well. I have a very free-spirit for playing, so I often mesh the above stated styles into a more progressive style of playing. I believe that you must be feeling what you are playing.

I also specialize in DJing, beat programming/sequencing, recording, organizing song-writing/song-structure, musical score, live performance, and professional music marketing. I am able to show you how to use programs such as Logic Pro, Protools LE, Adobe, and Pioneer programs to take your creative abilities to the next level.

I believe that these days, it is imperative for musicians to have four major components in their professional arsenal: 1) Discipline and chops on your instruments (including reading music notation); 2) Know how to successfully market yourself and your music; 3) Know how to properly develop a learning ear to record/produce your songs/tracks as well as for others; and 4) Understand and effectively utilize music production programs.

I look forward to working with you and helping you achieve your musical desires. Thanks so much for stopping by and have a music-filled day.

s is in room

*** Specialties ***
Classical Guitar, Bluegrass, Flatpicking, basic jazz, Latin, country, what ever is needed.

o Equipment ***
I have several guitars, a drum kit, djembe, mandolin, clarinet and full-size keyboard.

*** Specialties ***
Guitar: Classical, jazz, American or Irish folk, rock and pop; lead or rhythm.
Drums & Percussion: All genres
Piano: Classical (includes sight reading)

are unique for three main reasons:

1. I have a very deep understanding of music, sound, and theory, and feel music to be one of my native languages.

2. I have devoted considerable amounts of time and energy studying neuroscience, which has greatly improved my understanding of the learning process.

3. I have been blessed with the tremendous amount of patience necessary to guide a student through the necessary steps it takes to learn at whatever pace is optimal, in order to maximize the efficiency of the learning process for each individual.

*** Equipment ***
Students must have their own instrument, and purchase their own materials (books, etc). From time to time I make my way to a local music shop, and am happy to purchase materials for reimbursement.

*** Specialties ***
Classical music is my background, and what I believe to be the most cognitively and emotionally fulfilling style of music to study and play. That said, I'm also a big fan of pop music (as well as other genres), and encourage students to enjoy learning their favorite songs from the radio.

My understanding of music theory is extremely thorough, and I'm happy to incorporate as much or as little of it as the student's interest dictates, nevertheless maintaining the minimal amount of theory necessary to get the most out of learning music and the instrument.

Thanks for checking out my profile! Please contact me with any additional questions you may have, as well as to inquire about day/time availability. I'll do my best to get back to you right away (usually within a few hours).

t. Fun "family-style" lessons with parent(s) and young children are also a new option.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Guitars, ukuleles, bass guitars, strum-sticks, various percussion instruments, various keyboards, synthesizers and music composition/production software and amps.

*** Travel Equipment ***
Teacher brings instruments/supplies/books as needed, and can arrange to provide instruments for students as well.

*** Specialties ***
Individual or group instruction in folk, jazz, blues, rock, guitar/vocal performance coaching, songwriting, lyric writing, instrumental improvisation, digital media production/composition, iMovie, Garageband, "beat-making" and therapeutic music for youth, adult and special needs students.

and adolescents, while teaching private lessons.

ire, Cindy Lauper, Bette Midler, Donna Summer, Katherine McPhee, Jennifer Hudson, Esperanza Spalding, The Ronettes, Little Anthony, Bobby Womack, Ronnie Wood, Joe Zawinul, Paquito DíRivera, Ornette Coleman, Pierre Boulez, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Vladimir Spivakov, Elliot Carter, Will Ferrell and Bill Murray. On Television, David can be seen performing on the 60th Annual Grammy Awards, The 22nd, 24th and 26th Annual Rock n’ Roll Hall Of Fame, The Emmy Awards, The American Music Awards, VH1, Late Show With David Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel Live, A&E’s Live By Request, PBS’s Soundstage, Good Morning America, The Ellen Show, The Today Show, The Early Show, BBC, and “Tony Bennett Celebrates 90” on NBC from which the recording of the show won a Grammy Award for “Best Contemporary Pop Vocal Album” (2018).
David received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from The Juilliard School where he became a founding member of the Matt Herskowitz Trio. David officially endorses © Latin Percussion (LP), YAMAHA Drums, Vic Firth sticks.