Sutton Music Academy

Drum Lessons

£18.00 Per Lesson

Our drum classes are the perfect way to satisfy the drummer(s) in your family. Combining stress relief and enjoyable challenges of coordination, what better way to blow off some steam and sharpen your mind at the same time.

We welcome students from the age of seven to a friendly and inspiring group class environment. Our tutors draw on a wide array of playing and teaching experience to provide top quality focussed tuition in a group environment.

Whether your musical goals are academic or purely for personal enjoyment, we offer carefully structured progression with the optional milestones of graded examination.

Drum Classes

Due to social distancing, drum classes will be accommodating 2 students at a time and are scheduled throughout the week.

Drum lessons will be 40 minutes long but reduced to 30 minutes if your lesson is scheduled as one on one. Students will always be paired up by age and ability.

Lessons run for 11 or 12 weeks in school term time, with a week off for half term.

Payment for the full term needs to be made before the first lesson.

For more information or to register your interest please send us a message.

Drum Tutors

Joel Prime

Growing up in Australia, Joel got his first drum kit at 3 years old. He started lessons when he was 6, and was performing regularly while in primary school.

Playing percussion and drum kit in the Marryatville High School Stage Band, Joel travelled with the group for performances in London, New York and Los Angeles. in 2004, won the Generations in Jazz National Schools Bands Championship in 2005 and toured with James Morrison in Melbourne and Sydney.

Joel is now based in London and gaining wide recognition for his playing and teaching skills.

Mark Allis

Mark studied jazz drums at Trinity College of Music following the busy gigging teenage years, two world cruises and a season at Le Sporting Club in Monte Carlo. After more gigs he toured around the country with various shows until working in the West End.

TV and radio shows have featured heavily in Mark’s career and recently was the drummer in house band for ITV’s Imitation Game.

Mark has played with artists as diverse as Frank Sinatra and Harry Hill, Mel C and Shirley Bassey, Donny Osmond and Alice Cooper. Mark remains a busy freelance drummer/percussionist with a wide range of gigs that are fitted in between running Sutton Music Centre and teaching.

Gregg Ashbaugh

Greg is an accomplished drum tutor with over 8 years’ experience in teaching, and a BMus (Hons) in Music Performance from the Academy of Contemporary Music. He is proficient in teaching contemporary music genres such as funk, rock, pop, country and blues, and his teaching style sets him apart and helps his pupils become high musical achievers. His belief that encouraging a genuine enjoyment of regular practice helps foster technical ability and talent in his lessons. Greg has worked with artists and bands such as Sacha Page, Ben Longman, Lame Deer and Following Foxes, and regularly performs with function bands, gigging everywhere from Bristol to Bucharest.

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John Vince

John Vince has been drumming for over twenty years. He obtained a music scholarship at Whitgift School in Croydon and was subsequently taught by Ed Spevock. He achieved grade 8 at the age of sixteen and has been performing on large stages and festivals for originals, covers and big bands throughout university and into his twenties.

Now teaching and focussing on function bands he has a fluency in a range of styles and is also heavily involved with music production and studio work. John's natural style was developed from influences such as Mike Portnoy, Jojo Mayer, Vinnie Colaiuta and Gavin Harrison.

Playing piano to grade 7 and having a passion for improvisation, he has performed as a soloist at weddings and has influences ranging from Dudley Moore through to Ludovico Einaudi.