Phillip S  
Instruments: Drums, Orchestral Percussion, Conga
Styles: Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk, R&B, Musical Theater, Latin, Funk, Hip Hop, Electronic, Showtunes, Reggae, Merengue, Latin Jazz, Swing, New Age, Samba, Bossa Nova, Soul, Marching Band, Punk, Avant-garde

As a professional musician myself, I am constantly working with new people and within new musical territories. Because of this openess to collaboration, I have garnered extensive performance experience, sharing the stage with acts ranging from Califone to Grizzly Bear, as well as with improvising musicians the likes of Anton Hatwich, Eli Namay, John McCowen, and Keefe Jackson. I possess a large rhythmic vocabulary from a variety of related and disparate traditions. These primarily include jazz & free improvisation, classical percussion, rock & roll, pop music, Shona music from Zimbabwe, West African drumming from Ghana, and most recently, cyclical rhythms from the South Indian tradition. 

I strive to create an atmosphere of fun and creativity in my studio. This is done while simultaneously building a strong foundation of technique, posture, and musicality in all of my students, regardless of their age or experience level. I have no personal agenda when instructing. I consider myself merely a means for the student's own personal and musical development. Lesson structure depends on the individual's goals. If the student hopes to nail an audition for a spot in a high school's drumline, then we will work on snare drum technique and concentration during private practice and during performance. If someone wants to be able to lay down a steady groove so they can start performing with friends, then we'll work on coordination between the limbs and achieving a good sound on the drum set. The possibilities are endless.