Information About Ian - Cardiff teacher

Personal Description:

I have been playing the drums for over 35 years in casual, semi professional and professional capacities. My playing encompasses rock, funk, jazz and latin styles. I have performed at major jazz festivals and concerts all over the UK. I have studied with Colin Woolway (founder of the Drumsense teaching programme), Trevor Tompkins (retired head of percussion at the Royal College of Music and the Trinity School of Music) and Allan Cox (touring professional and student of Jim Blackley). I hold a Post Graduate Certificate in Education.

Tutoring Experience:

I started teaching in a small way and began working for CAVMS ( Cardiff and Vale Music Service) and built this up to a full time position. Whilst working for CAVMS I used the Drumsense syllabus to teach all levels of student drum kit grooves and coordination. I left this post after seven years of experience to take up as post at Coleg Glan Hafren where I taught on the Btec National 1st Diploma music and the Music Practice courses. I was responsible for delivering content in the theoretical and practical sides of these courses. I was also a year tutor for the Foundation students and taught on the history of popular music course. I have operated a private teaching practice for over 15 years which is based at my home studio.

Tutoring Approach:

Any music tuition must be related to both rhythmic and melodic content. All rhythms must relate to melody otherwise they are meaningless. I stress the application of playalongs once any groove has been mastered in a basic form. The student must realize how these rhythms relate to the melody in order to have an understanding of the overall sound which is being produced. I also encourage the student to investigate the origins of any musical style which we are working on or again the content does not have any meaning.