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Bachelor Degree: Whitman College
All State Jazz Band - Vermont, 2011
All State Concert Band - Vermont, 2009-2011
I've been a member of the Seattle music scene since moving to the city in the fall of 2016. After joining a few bands and forming others I've settled on three. These bands (The Whags, Coral Grief and Lightweight Champion) provide musical variety and allow me to pursue my passion for live performance. In the last few years I've taken up teaching as a way to pass along the musical baton and get others excited about the drums. Though my formal music education ended after high school, I've been a life-long learner and strive to excite students with musical experiences they can't get in a traditional classroom. I've played in bands since I was in middle school and love to get students excited about performing either with a band or as a soloist. I teach out of a wonderful, private space near 23rd and E Union in the Central District of Seattle. We have room to set up two drum sets and listen to tracks while we play, an element I like to incorporate into my lessons. There is also a comfortable waiting room and ample street parking nearby.
I've been teaching for the last year and a half in both the private capacity and for a music school in West Seattle. I've helped students prepare for recitals, parades, living room performances or to start a band of their own and I love the variety that teaching the drums provides. My focus is on the students' interests first as I find that this is the best way to encourage practice and make the instrument fun! Though I have a general flow of lessons for beginner students, diversions from that path are always the most interesting and I like to strike a balance between learning the fundamentals and exploring creative outlets. I like to pepper in lots of listening exercises and a bit of music history to give context to what we're doing. This is especially important for new drummers as the music we're making isn't always instantly recognizable. I'm always looking to bring on new students of any age or skill level and love working with anyone curious about the drums!
Part of the fun of being a drummer is getting to learn a wide array of music and fit into many situations - I like to cover the gamut. We’ll work on rock, pop, funk, jazz, R&B, blues, classical/concert percussion, marching band and much more! Through the exploration of different styles we’ll learn the foundational techniques, rudiments, styles and feels that are integral to every education in drums. I work out of an array of drum books, usually starting with the Alfred Beginning Snare Drum and Drum Set books, and online exercises and I’m always on the look for new ways to approach the drums. Proficiency in reading music is a top goal for my new students and we start to read music within the first few lessons. I balance working out of a book with listening exercises, playing along to songs and the occasional game or two. A typical 60 minute lesson run down: 5 minutes - check in from previous lesson and a warm up 15 minutes - beat/groove workshop - digging into a style and working on various drum beats in that style 10 minutes - technical piece that relates to the beats/grooves we’ve been working on and some exercises to improve technique 5 minutes - game or improvisation break, something to give our brains a rest 20 minutes - working on a song. This can be everything from school concert band to a marching band cadence to a song you heard on the radio or one you’ve always wanted to play along to 5 minutes - review this week and go over practice for the next lesson
I believe that the first step towards building proficiency in an instrument is having fun with it. I strive to make the lesson space one that promotes positivity, experimentation and excitement - with these as a foundation we can make the hard parts more enjoyable! I take notes on each lesson and have a plan for the next one in mind. However, I always enjoy following a direction that the student is interested in and can cater lessons to personal goals however ambitious or modest. I have experience teaching all ages and skill levels and like to find fun ways to challenge students no matter their experience. I truly enjoy watching students grow in their confidence with the drums and I always make sure to communicate progress to parents in a way that both encourages practice and supports progress.
I really enjoy taking drum lessons with Cam! I'm an adult beginner and the whole experience has been comfortable. Cam does a great job of teaching me the basics (but not getting too caught up in details since I'm just learning to drum for fun) and incorporating songs I like to keep me motivated.
Cam has proven to be an excellent fit for my son's learning style. My son responds better to more structured lessons (as opposed to showing up and being asked what he wants to work on today). Cam also provides great feedback to me so I know what they are working on and how much progress my son is making.
I took drum lessons with Cam for a few months, and he’s a great teacher. He really knows his stuff and always tailors each lesson to fit your interests while helping you improve your skills, no matter your level. He’s supportive, flexible, and makes every session engaging. I’d love to keep going if my schedule allowed—it was a great experience!
Cam is a very patient teacher and excellent at explaining things to folks that are a bit slower to understand (readily music etc). He makes every lesson fun and engaging. He answers all the questions very helpfully when learning something so new! I’ve never really done much music studying in the past- and have really enjoyed getting to learn something new.
Cam is a really impressive drummer and teacher. I started with very little music knowledge and he managed to keep the basics fun and interesting. I can't believe the progress I've made since I first started lessons. Cam is punctual, organized, and gives me lesson notes, which makes practicing at home a lot easier. He creates a really comfortable learning environment and I always leave a lesson feeling like I got better. Can't recommend him enough!!