About Michael
Michael is a dedicated drumset teacher offering online lessons to a broad range of students, from beginners to advanced musicians. His teaching approach is rooted in developing solid musical and technical skills, enhanced by his extensive educational background including a Bachelor's Degree in Music from Carleton University and studies with renowned musicians. Michael's accolades include performances with award-winning artists and extensive gig experience across various music genres. Fluent in English, he provides a comprehensive learning experience covering drumset, ear training, and various musical styles. Book an interview with Michael for an enriching online drumset learning journey.
Currently Not Available for Registration
My program is suitable for people of any experience level and almost any age. Whether your goal is simply to learn to play a bit of drums for fun, to get to the intermediate level and jam with some friends, or to get to the advanced level or even play professionally, I can take you there if you put in the time and work! Regardless of what your goal is, the process and program is essentially the same. The only difference is what we emphasize and how long you might take lessons for. We cover technique and many different musical styles (pop, rock, jazz, various Latin styles and many more). We also cover rudiments, grooves, music reading, odd time signatures, fills, time and many musical/drumming concepts. We also work on having you play along to songs. We work towards helping you to develop the musical skills, technical skills and theoretical knowledge you need to become a solid musician and drummer. If applicable, we can combine these skills with some music business knowledge so other musicians may want to play with you and hire you. We do this through a balanced approach that involves playing along to recordings, discussing different theoretical and conceptual approaches, practicing technical exercises, working on rhythmic ear training and reading exercises, analyzing songs in different styles, transcribing drum recordings and if applicable discussing music business concepts. The program involves regular practicing but we focus on things you really need to know that will actually make you a better musical and technical drummer. How much of the program we cover depends on how far you want to go. Please note, that I rarely allow novice through early advanced level students to skip out on specific material (ie. learning to read or a specific style etc..) because at this stage students are still in the general phase of learning and are learning many of the fundamentals. If I am teaching a concept, it is because I have determined based on my many years of experience that it will improve your skills as a musician and drummer. I do however, usually let students pick many of their own songs to learn (I choose some too as part of the program). I do allow upper level advanced and professional level students to take some specialized lessons with me on specific topics of their choosing because they are no longer in the general phase of learning. Currently I am offering online lessons only. I do this to avoid commuting since I have somewhat limited time available to teach and need to maximize my use of it. It is also because I have invested significantly in my online set up and I believe strongly that there is value in some of the differences that online lessons provide compared to in person lessons (though both have their advantages). Additionally, my studio is currently too small to realistically have people in it anyways. Since there is so much to learn, I have a vast knowledge of drumming and music and I am constantly learning myself, my program does not have a set end point. If you started with me as a novice student and you work consistently you could see improvements in your playing taking lessons with me for years. However, if a student has reached the mid to upper advanced level and I feel we are reaching diminishing returns in terms of what I have left to show you, I will let you know it is time for you to graduate to a new teacher (or just go focus on getting experience for a while). This could also happen if a student is in the upper advanced or professional level and is interested in a very specific style or concept that I have taken them as far as I can on. At that point they may need to take lessons with a specialist in that style. For children under 6, parents please get in touch with me and we can discuss if lessons will work well for your child. For upper advanced and professional level students, please get in touch so we can discuss your goals as your lessons would probably require a more specific plan or we may work on a specialized topic only. Please be prepared to have your playing evaluated during a lesson (in a relaxed environment) so I can confirm that you are in fact upper advanced or professional level 🙂
Name: Michael (Full name will be provided upon registration)
Age: 40's
Gender: male
I have a Bachelors Degree in Music from Carleton University (2007). I studied with Juno Award winning musician and Humber College of Music faculty member Paul Delong (who has worked with Kim Mitchell, David Clayton Thomas etc..). I also took 2 lessons with the Head of Percussion Studies at Humber College Mark Kelso (who has worked with Michael Buble, James Taylor, Gino Vannelli etc..). I studied for 4 years with world class drum set instructor Chuck R. Burrows. I took 1 lesson with world class jazz drummer Ian Froman (who has worked with Mike Stern). I also took a group master class with Randy Cooke (who has worked with Kelly Clarkson, Ringo Starr) I have attended many educational drum clinics provided by world class musicians. I have also taken approximately 8 years of piano lessons.
As a highly in demand musician in the Ottawa/Gatineau area, I performed on over 2000 gigs and recording sessions from 2007 to 2021 with hundreds of bands and artists in many musical styles during my busy freelance gigging career. I would occasionally be hired to perform with out of town bands coming through due to my reputation as a very versatile drummer who could perform successfully with groups I'd never played with before, with little to no prep. Some artists I've performed with include Canadian Aboriginal Music Award winner Melisa Pash, East Coast Music Awards Nominee Neil McDaniel, Juno Award winning musician Steve Marriner, Stéphanie St-Jean (2016 Winner of La Voix/The Voice Canada), Boom Desjardins (Juno Award Nominee and Lead Singer for La Chicane), Bill Pinkney’s Original Drifters and Billy Richards Coasters. Mike has also written professional drum charts/transcriptions for Yamaha Drum Set Artist/Zildjian Cymbals Artist Volkan Oktem and Grammy Award Pre Nominee Rocco Ventrella. Highlights in 2007 include graduating with a Bachelor of Music Degree from Carleton University and working as a cruise ship showband musician for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines “The Enchantment of The Seas Orchestra”. Highlights in 2008 include 5 months of busy intermittent touring of Canada and the U.S.A as a professional musician with “Searson” as well as performing at the London, Ontario Sunfest. Highlights in 2009 include a performance at the Cisco Systems Ottawa Bluesfest Main Stage (Bank of America Stage) with Jeff Rogers and The Liquid Sound and a performance at the Ottawa International Jazz Festival Rideau Center Stage with the “East Side Quartet”. Highlights in 2010 include performing at The Ottawa International Jazz Festival Rideau Center Stage with “The Mulligan Project” and performing with Canadian Aboriginal Award Winner Melisa Pasha. Highlights in 2011 include a request to perform in China (though cancelled), the release of artist Deneece’s CD “From Bromont To Broadway” which Mike performed on, recording drum tracks on 3 songs for Paul Blissett’s album “Luna” and a performance with Paul Warren and The Overtones in Collingwood, Ontario during The Collingwood Elvis Festival. Highlights in 2012 include a performance in Montreal with The Erica Feininger Quartet at The Musee des Beaux-Arts (Museum of Fine Art). Highlights in 2013 and 2014 include 2 performances at The Ottawa RBC Royal Bank Bluesfest with Firebelly, a performance at The Tremblant International Blues Festival with Firebelly and a performance at Canadian Music Week in Toronto with Firebelly. Highlights in 2016 include being hired by The Carleton University Music Program to work as an adjudicator for a graduation recital and a performance with Firebelly at The Mountain Man Music Festival at Calabogie Peaks Resort. Highlights in 2017 include playing in the backing band for a number of high profile Quebec musical artists at a large event at Arena Robert-Guertin, being hired for a performance with Canadian touring musical artist Tia Brazda at Live On Elgin for her performance in Ottawa that year and being hired to perform with The Hitmen Drumline in the stands for the 2017 Grey Cup in Ottawa. Highlights in 2018 include being hired by the Carleton University Music Program to be an adjudicator for a graduation recital, 2 more performances with Canadian touring musical artist Tia Brazda at Live On Elgin and being hired to perform in Ottawa at the OLG with out town group Material Men. Highlights in 2019 include performing in a guitar history themed stage show called STRUM at The Theatre du Casino at Casino du Lac Leamy, recording drum tracks for Maeve Delia’s album “Heliophelia” and The Life of Pearls album “Into the Beautiful Blue”.
English
Rates and Studio Policies
Registration Fee: $25.00 (One-time lifetime registration fee may be used by all family members)
Rates for instruction:
30 minute private lesson: $39.00
45 minute private lesson: $49.00
60 minute private lesson: $59.00
Travel charge: additional $15.00 per visit (for lessons in a client's home as opposed to my studio)
1. Cancellation Policy
Lessons not cancelled or rescheduled with at least 24 hours notice are billable to the client and payable to the teacher. This does not of course apply to travel fees unless the notice is effectively given at the door and the teacher has travelled to the location.
2. Cessation (quitting) Policy
A client must provide a 2 lesson notice period to stop lessons. So a weekly student needs to give 2 weeks of notice, a biweekly student works out to 3 weeks notice and a twice weekly student works out to a week of notice.
3. Illness Policy
Lessons cancelled due to illness or extraordinary circumstances with less than 24 hours notice remain billable to the client and payable to the teacher.
BAH teachers are encouraged to offer a make-up lesson at a future date in the interest of client relations and general goodwill. This only makes sense as teaching a student with the flu for example, will ruin the rest of your week's employment.
No more than 2 lessons may be made up due to illness within a 60 day period.
4. Rescheduling Policy
Any lesson can be cancelled or rescheduled with at least 24 hours notice.
Summer Vacation and Extended Absence Policy
Clients may schedule longer absences for trips etc. 24 hours notice is required.
It is normal and typical for students and about 20% of our teachers to schedule a break in the summer. We do not enforce a notice period (see cessation of lessons) at the end of a long summer break.
5. Evaluation Period
There are no free trial lessons with Beethoven at Home but we do offer a 2 lesson evaluation period where it is easy to try out a teacher. There are no free lessons during the evaluation period and clients may choose to discontinue the lessons at any time by providing the required 24 hours notice. After the student's 3rd lesson the required 2 lesson notice period will apply (see cessation of lessons above).
Online lessons
Michael can provide online instruction. While other platforms are possible BAH strongly recommends the use of the Zoom video conferencing platform as it is optimized for music lessons and audio quality.