Hi, my name is Rob and I’ve been playing drums for the past 25 years. During that time I obtained a degree in Music Industry from SUNY Oneonta, studying and performing a range of styles including jazz, Latin and funk. Since then I have performed, toured, and recorded with numerous artists. I have been a full-time, private drum instructor for the past nine years. As a teacher I strive to get students excited about drumming, making music and their individual growth. This includes learning about the music people enjoy. I have found that students who are learning music and songs they are interested intend to be more self-motivated and keep growing as musicians.
To me, one of the most enjoyable things about teaching is finding out how each student learns. On the drum set there are often several different parts being played by one person simultaneously, so how someone learns to play can vary a lot. One student might learn better by ear at first whereas another does well at reading music, for instance.
Something I love about playing music with people is it's an easy way to establish a connection. In a one-on-one lesson, using call and response is a great way to do this. Luckily for drummers, rhythm is fairly easy to hear and playback in small doses so it's a great way to start learning too!
Some of my favorite music to play and listen to is jazz because of how expressive and personal sounding the music can get. I love the way a drummer is able to simultaneously interact with and support the music that’s happening there. It makes the whole thing feel like a conversation. As a teacher, I enjoy teaching individuals of every age and skill level, including special needs. In addition to the drum set, I study and play tabla, Cajon, udu, and piano.