Drum Lessons in San Jose, CA

Hanne A

Instruments: Drums Orchestral Percussion

What is your favorite style/genre of music to play and why?
I do not have a favorite style or genre of music to play. The magic of being in the moment, playing music with great musicians transcends style and genre.

When did you decide to become a professional musician? Was it a gradual decision or was there a defining moment for you?
Becoming a professional musician was what I always wanted to do. It was not a gradual decision, rather the only path I saw. I am grateful for that, it kept me from agonizing over the many choices we can have in front of us to have to decide between.

Does music run in your family? Tell us a little about your musical family members.
My mother's family was very involved in music. She was a music teacher and was singing in local choirs herself as well as teaching. Her side of the family has several musicians.

If you play more than one instrument, how did you decide to start playing the second? (Or 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc)!
I started singing and harmonizing with my mother before I started school. My sister, mother and I would sing together often. I later became part of a competitive school choir, traveling and performing. In the meantime I was taking piano and guitar lessons. Later I took lessons on clarinet and bass and played saxophone and any other instrument I could get my hands on.

What do you think is the hardest thing to master on your instrument?
There is not one particular thing that comes to mind. Mastery of an instrument demands a wide variety of approaches to many areas.

Do you use specific teaching methods or books? (Ex: Alfred, Bastion, Suzuki, Hal Leonard) Why did you choose them if you did?
Apart from the classics, such as Stick Control, Master Studies, New Breed, etc., I like to use the A Fresh Approach series by Mark Wessels. These are excellent, fun and very comprehensive books with play-along tracks for just about everything.

If you weren't a musician what do you think you'd be doing instead?
There is nothing I ever wanted to do other than be a musician, so that question I could not answer. There are many wonderful career options but I just never felt any of them were the right one for me.

If you have a Music Degree, what is it in (Performance, Education, Musicology, Theory, Composition, etc) and why did you choose that degree?
My Music Degree is in Performance/Education. I chose this degree as these are the areas of music I felt most passionate about pursuing and learning more about.

What is your dream piece to perform and why?
There is so much great music written. I certainly would not be able to pick a single piece as a dream piece. It would be completely impossible.

What does a normal practice session look like for you?
The order is not always the same except for the warm-up, but it includes work on speed, power, control, independence, videos, soloing, learning songs and much more.

Have any of your students won awards or been selected for special honors? How have they succeeded?
A great deal of my students have won awards and been selected for special honors. They have succeeded through commitment, focus and hard work.

What musical accomplishments are you most proud of?
I have played with many great musicians in front of thousands of people, and performed under a enormous pressure at times. I am proud of all of this.

How do I know if my child is ready to start lessons?
As the parent you will be the one who has better instincts about it than anyone else.

When will I start to see results?
You will start to see results immediately and there will be tangible progress every lesson. We will move at your pace, based on how much time you have available to practice and will be focusing on the music you are passionate about.

Why did you choose your primary instrument?
We all have our preferences, and to me drums were simply the most amazing of all instruments.

Did you have a teacher that inspired you to go into music? How did they inspire you?
My music teacher in elementary and middle school encouraged and inspired me greatly. I am here because of him. He gave me the passion, courage and confidence to pursue my dreams.

What advice do you have about practicing effectively?
It is important to set time aside, in our busy world practice time can be hard to find, but the rewards are great and it is well worth adding to our schedules. Once practicing, it has to be fun, relaxed and focused to be most effective.

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