Robert R
Instruments: Drums, Recorder, Orchestral Percussion, Conga, Latin Percussion, Music
Styles: Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk, Country, R&B, Gospel, Latin, Funk, Electronic, Showtunes, Reggae, Latin Jazz, Swing, Samba, Bossa Nova, Soul, Marching Band, Punk, Avant-garde
Robert R
Instruments: Drums, Recorder, Orchestral Percussion, Conga, Latin Percussion, Music
Styles:
Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk, Country, R&B, Gospel, Latin, Funk, Electronic, Showtunes, Reggae, Latin Jazz, Swing, Samba, Bossa Nova, Soul, Marching Band, Punk, Avant-garde
Where I Teach:
Ages Taught: 4-80
2006, 2007 - Massachusetts Music Educators Conference, Guest Artist
2001, 2002 - Klezkanada Festival of Yiddish Music and Culture, Full Scholarship
2000 - Frederick and Josephine Pannier McCarthy Scholarship, UMASS Boston
1992 Middletown (CT) Commission on The Arts, Grantee
2023 Massachusetts Arts Recovery Grant
If I'd known how much I'd enjoy teaching, I would have started sooner! I've played in orchestras and garage bands, jazz combos, trad. instrumental bands and more, and I bring it all to the table. Also an MEd., experience as a K-12 classroom music teacher and years of teaching drums and percussion in a variety of settings. Plus my ongoing education in music. My students range in age from preschoolers to senior citizens. Sometimes I think I enjoy students' progress more than they do, but we all have a lot of fun!
10 years Percussion Faculty at the Cape Cod Conservatory (Falmouth and West Barnstable) and Private Teaching at a number of Music Stores across Massachusetts. Five years as Lesson Director at a Music School in Cambridge, interacting with staff, students and parents. Director of the New England Jug Band Kids after school program for Lexington Public Schools. Member and director of drum lines in numerous working parade and event bands across New England. Musical director of my own ensembles and for other artists. Self-employed, independent musician.
The philosophy underlying my teaching method can be summed up this way: If you can say it, you can play it. "Wop bop a loo bop a lop bom bom!" I'll bet I can teach you that rhythm quickly if I say it to you. And once you say it, it's easy to play on the drums. Some people play by ear and others by note, but I think it's best to do some of each. Rote music learning boils down to repeating sounds. That's how we learn to speak. Learning to read teaches us to recognize symbols that represent those sounds, be they music or language. My youngest student learned to read rhythms before words and sentences! But that doesn't mean YOU need to be a great reader! Only a great listener ;-)
I've had a lot of opportunities to sort my teaching out. I realize that if the student doesn't “get it,” it may be that I'm not putting “it” across effectively. So I had better try to slow things down or speed them up, model rather than explain, or vice versa! And always try smarter before trying harder, even though harder may be the right approach. Because in addition to teaching music I'm teaching approaches to learning. Some situations require discipline, others abandon. That's not surprising, because music can portray every facet of the human condition.
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