I've played drums for most of my life and the one thing I always tell my students is to have fun! If the drummer isn't enjoying it, the rest of the band will follow! Through music I've gotten to experience some amazing things such as working on the same bill as T-Pain for a short tour, playing in NYC at Lincoln Center, taking part in NPR's Tiny Desk "On the Road" show, and traveling internationally to South Korea and countries across Europe such as Holland, France, Switzerland, and Italy. No matter the situation, musicians will only call people that they enjoy being around, and I know the same principal applies to students and their teachers. I make it my mission to create a welcoming atmosphere for any musician, regardless of age or ability! Along with performing, I have a passion for teaching students that want to share my love for the drums. For two years I taught drumset classes at the University of Southern California's Thornton School of Music to students ranging from freshman to PhD age. I've also taught private students for the last 8 years ranging from elementary school age to college graduates. What I learned from all this? That anyone can play the drums regardless of age! Lesson Details - My lesson planning is flexible and is specifically tailored to each student. Want to work on polyrhythmic rock grooves? Great. Jazz comping and improvisation? Excellent. Brushing up your reading chops? Good idea! All of these things are areas which students come to me to work on, and from there I give you foundational and advanced concepts for you to play by yourself or for us to play together. I always encourage students to show me what kind of music they've been listening to and consequently what they have been working on themselves. Each lesson is different depending on what you want to accomplish! Some of what we do will be taught by ear, and some will be done through worksheets. The goal of practicing is to be free from the constraints of the drumset, therefore allowing you to be creative, consistent, and confident in any musical setting. Some of the books I use - Louie Bellson's "Modern Reading Text in 4/4" Louie Bellson's "Odd Time Reading Text" Colin Bailey's "Bass Drum Control" Peter Erskine's "Drumset Essentials" Studio Equipment - 3 camera viewing capabilities (for online lessons) 8 high quality microphones including talk-mic (for online lessons) 2 full size drumsets complete with cymbals and hardware Travel Equipment - Laptop Sticks/Brushes/Mallets Practice pad Books