Drum Teachers

A highly respected drum set educator, Frank Corniola has spent over 30 years behind the kit both in the studio and as a live performer. In 1985 Frank published his first book 'Rhythm Section Drumming'. Now distributed worldwide by the Hal Leonard Corporation, RSD addressed a unique educative approach for drums and bass, setting an industry standard.

Frank has also authored four 'Contemporary Popular Music' (CPM) step 1- 4 Drum set books for the Australian Music Examination Board (AMEB).

In 1992, Frank built the Drumtek retail and school complex from the ground up! Again setting the standard as a specialist Drum and Percussion institution in Northcote, Melbourne Australia.  The 'Drumtek School of Music' operates above the retail store with an in house auditorium and state of the art teaching studios.

Frank and the highly skilled teaching faculty at Drumtek, have been pushing the boundaries of standard percussion education since 1992, building a true centre for music education in Australia.

In 1993 Frank staged the first and now world renown 'Australia's Ultimate Drummers Weekend' (AUDW)'. An annual Drum and Percussion Festival of performances, workshops and an Expo, AUDW showcases artists from around the globe with an exhibition of all the latest gear.

 Musictek, a distribution and publishing company for drum and percussion BOOKS and DVD's, is another of Frank's creations. Musictek’s vast library of titles also includes the DVD releases of Australia’s Ultimate Drummers Weekend. www.musictek.com.au

Frank Corniola is also Chief Editor, owner and publisher of Australia's #1 drum magazine DRUMscene. Drumscene Magazine is distributed throughout Australia and New Zealand and now stages an annual ‘Drumscene Live’ Tour – taking a host of international talent around the country. www.drumscene.com.au

Frank’s most recent publication is the educational text, 'Rudiments and Motions'. Released in 2001 his unique approach de-mystifies the notational approach to drum rudiments. A book sure to become another international educational standard.

 Graham Morgan - Drums

Born in Melbourne Australia in 1937, Graham Morgan was educated at Melbourne Grammar School. He ventured to Los Angeles in 1962 where he studied under some of the best drummers of the time (Joe Morello, Murray Spivak).

Grahams outstanding career has spanned five decades and has taken him from playing on the first ABC television broadcast to recording a live album at Carnegie Hall with Cleo Laine and John Dankworth. He has recorded and played with numerous other artists such as John Farnham, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Clark Terry, Carmen McRae, Freddie Hubbard, Nancy Wilson, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, and his own "Graham Morgan Jazz Quartet".

At GTV-9 Australia he held the position of staff drummer for over 20 years working on numerous shows including The Don Lane Show. At channel 10 (0) Graham worked with the Young Talent Time band for 10 years, The Ernie Sigley Show, Showcase and more.

His drumming can be heard on hundreds of filmscores and television/ radio commercials recorded during the 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's. He has earned himself the unique title of "The Most Recorded Drummer in Australian History"

During his remarkable career Graham has maintained a major interest in the development of other drummers. This interest has allowed him to teach hundreds of drummers, both here in Australia and in the U.S.A. Graham began teaching in 1954 and has taught either privately, at schools/ institutions or at his "Drum Clinics/ Master Classes" for the last 50+ years. In 1999 Graham released his first book titled "Analysis of Contemporary Drumming - A Modern Physical and Conceptual Approach"which has since become a best seller and has also been included on the 2006 VCE syllabus for drum-kit solo performance.

His passion for developing as a musician is still as strong today as it ever was. This allows him to continue his outstanding career, playing and teaching a wide variety of music.

In 1995 Graham was awarded the "Lifetime Achievement Award for Australian Drumming" at the Ultimate Drummers Day held at Dallas Brooks Hall, Melbourne. He has since performed at this event several times and can be seen on the Ultimate Drummers Weekend - 10th Anniversary DVD.

Alex Deegan - Drums

Alex Deegan began performing live at the age of 8 and has been playing music professionally for over 25 years.  At 13 years of age Alex studied with renowned Adelaide percussionist Jim Bailey and over the course of his career has taken classes with some of the world’s best drummers - Dave Weckl, Virgil Donati, David Jones & Gregg Bissonette. Alex’s career has seen him perform all over Australia having lived and worked in the music scenes of Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne where he has resided since 1995.

Throughout his career Alex has toured, recorded and co-written with many bands and artists both nationally and internationally.  Some of Alex's achievements include:

• Australian Platinum Number 1 Single "Wasabi" by Lee Harding

• Dean Geyer from Aus Idol, Neighbours & Glee fame, Debut Album recording and featured on Neighbours TV episodes.

• Award winning albums by Australian Country Artists Carter & Carter and Sue Boyd

• MTV Awards performance with American Pop Artist Teddy Geiger.

• Touring nationally with Sony Artist Marie Wilson

• On call session drummer for Birdland studios in MelbournE

Guest artist on "Australia's Ultimate Drummers Weekend 2004" internationally released DVD with 'Dom & Friends'
 
Featured artist on "Australia's Ultimate Drummers Weekend 2003" internationally released DVD
 
Featured artist at "Australia's Ultimate Drummers Weekend Concert 1997"
 
National Clinic Tours for Premier Drums, Sabian Cymbals and Vater Drumsticks
 
Runner-up winner of "Australia's Up and Coming Drummer Competition 1995".
 
Member of the Drumtek School of Music (School of Drums and Percussion) Teaching faculty - - for over 10 years!
 
Regular writer for internationally distributed Drumscene Magazine 

Robi Parolin - Drums

Robi Parolin graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) in 1994, and since then has performed with many top artists from Australia and around the world. He cut his teeth freelancing in Melbourne’s vibrant music scene playing in a variety of settings backing many singing talent shows, and playing with Italian music royalty Nilla Pizzi and Giorgio Consolini throughout Melbourne including performing at Parliament house.

He then performed with “Relax with Max” and “Coup De Ville” over a period of seven years before joining Ex Chocolate Starfish frontman Adam Thompson embarking on a 4 year performing, recording, and touring stint throughout Australia. After this period Robi was involved in forming RADIODOGS where he wrote recorded and produced for the band performing live on GMA and The Big Night In with John Foreman, and also co writing the bands singles.

As an Endorsee for Gretsch drums, Vater drumsticks (Now Vic Firth) and Paiste cymbals, Robi has performed clinics for all three companies. Robi is also actively involved in teaching having held positions at Box Hill Institute for over 12 years, and also teaching at Melbourne Polytechnic. He is also one of the longest serving teachers at Drumtek, having taught some of Australia’s best working drummers (See Drumscene interviews!). More recently Robi has recorded and performed live, with country “vocalist of the year” Steve Eales, and Guitarist James Ryan, and worked with iconic Melbourne producer Reggi Bowman.

During this period he also performed shows with Ross Wilson and Wendy Stapleton and Glen Shorrock. Robi has also worked with up and coming artists, having performed with “Australia’s got Talent” winner Bonnie Anderson and “the voice" and "Australian Idol's" Jacob Butler. Presently Robi is part of the touring line up for the biggest Bee Gees tribute show in the world “The Australian Bee Gees Show” (ABGS) based in Las Vegas. This has led to multiple performances in Singapore, India, Las Vegas, Manila, Kuala Lumper, Guam and Germany, as well as touring extensively throughout Australia. Other current projects have also included the Adele (tribute) show and CANYON (performing songs from the iconic west coast American bands).

Rachel Trainor - Drums

Rachel is a New Zealand-born, Melbourne based professional drummer, performer and multi-instrumentalist. She holds a Bachelor of Music (Honours – First Class) from the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand where she was tutored by ex-Mother Goose drummer Marcel Rodeka and bassist Rob Burns, whose credits include playing for the BBC and collaborations with well known musicians such as Pete Townsend of The Who.

Coming from a very musical family, she had her first drum lesson at age 12, picking up regular lessons a year later when she started high school (as a great way to get out of maths class). During her time at university she was part of several professional bands and toured throughout New Zealand with both corporate and original acts, as well as gaining experience playing in pit bands for musicals such as ‘Buddy Holly’ and ‘Back To The 80s’.

She made the move to Melbourne in 2012 and since then has played at many iconic Melbourne venues including Dracula’s Cabaret Restaurant Melbourne, where she provided drums, vocals and guitar (among other instruments) for the show for two years running, finishing when Dracula’s closed their Melbourne doors at the end of 2017.

Since then Rachel has toured interstate with cabaret shows ‘Anya Anastasia: Rogue Romantic’ and ‘Rebel’, a David Bowie inspired circus cabaret and continues to gig regularly around Melbourne as a session player and with her original psych-rock band Honeybone.

 

Damian Ellis - Drums

Damien Ellis is a professional drummer currently based in Melbourne, Australia. Damien studied at the Victorian College of the Arts, where he completed a Bachelor of Music Performance with Honours, specialising in improvisation.

Over his career Damien has played at Australian venues such as the Sydney Opera House, the Melbourne Recital Centre, as well as renowned jazz venues and festivals such as the Melbourne International Jazz festival and the Wangaratta jazz festival, and continues to play at Australia’s well renowned venues and festivals in numerous jazz, rock, funk and Latin ensembles. He has also contributed to Drumscene magazine on numerous occasions with his own educational features and articles.  

In 2009 Damien won the "Australia's Best Up and Coming Drummer Competition", and performed at the "Australia's Ultimate Drummers Weekend 2010". In 2018 he was a finalist in the National Jazz Awards, held at the Wangaratta Jazz Festival.

Damien spent his time at the VCA studying with the great Graham Morgan, and since then has lived in New York where he studied with John Riley, Ari Hoenig and Kendrick Scott. He also performed at venues such as the New Victory Theatre in Times Square as well as at New York’s well renowned jazz venues such as Smalls, Jazz at Kitano, the Zinc Bar and Fat Cat.

Damien endorses Gretsch Drums, Vic Firth Drumsticks, Zildjian Cymbals and Evans Drumheads.

Kane Watts

Professional drummer, passionate educator, live & studio session musician; Kane Watts is one of the most sought after drummers in the Melbourne music scene. 

Kane studied with some of Australia's best; Gerry Pantazis, Darryn Farrugia, David Jones, Graham Morgan and Andy Gander.

As a dedicated young student, he fast became proficient with a wide variety of music genres - from Pop, Rock, Jazz, RnB, Latin and Fusion. 

Graduating at the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School (VCASS) in 2017, Kane achieved a perfect score of 50 in his VCE Music Investigations subject, in which he was studying the Jazz Fusion drumming styles of Dave Weckl, Larnell Lewis and Mike Clark. In that same year, Kane also received the John Hopkins Award at VCASS (awarded for outstanding results, commitment and great potential for future success). 

Kane currently works as a session drummer playing with multiple different bands and original artists, performing at weddings, corporate shows, festivals, tribute shows and tours throughout Australia.

Beginning his teaching journey in 2018, Kane taught at various schools educating drum students from the ages of 5 to VCE level and beyond.

Kane’s students have won scholarship awards and been involved in the Victorian State School Spectacular. Through a high level of motivation, clear goal setting, and a close bond with their teacher, students continue to see huge personal growth when learning with Kane.

We’re proud to have Kane as a member of Australia’s best drumkit school of music, with a rich history spanning over 32+ years!

Mitch Thomas

Mitch Thomas is a professional drummer and percussionist from New Zealand now based in Melbourne. He holds a Bachelor of Music Arts from ARA Institute of Canterbury and studied with Ted Meager, Tim Sellers and Joseph McCallum during his time there.

He began learning the drums at age 13 with Mark LaRoche and quickly became a member of his high-school’s big band, jazz combo, pop/rock band and orchestra. Quickly becoming a versatile drummer he developed a deep love of jazz, funk, pop, rock and orchestral styles and developed his music reading and musicianship.

In 2011 he toured Europe for three weeks with the Linwood College Orchestra and Big Band, the highlight of which was playing in Westminster Abbey for Anzac Day. He also began studying drums at ARA Institute of Canterbury where he joined the school Motown band, Latin band, Odd-time band, Monk-Mingus band and Big band.

In 2012 he joined his first professional act, Esky-Motown, which performed a Motown tribute show touring to national festivals as well as playing functions and weddings.

While in New Zealand he was a member of many other professional ensembles including Symposium Big Band, Darren Pickering Quartet, Vital Organ Trio, Go-Go-Calypso, Off The Charts, The Bluesberries, The Elly Rydge Quintet, The Nick Pitts Trio as well as playing with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra.

He began performing in the theatre industry in 2014 with his first professional show End of the Rainbow which was a beautiful tribute to Judy Garland. Developing into a multi-disciplined musician, he covers drum kit, percussion instruments, electronic percussion/triggers and sings backing vocals. He has since gone on to play a number of high-profile professional shows such as Wicked, We Will Rock You, Jersey Boys, Little Shop of Horrors and RENT to name a few.

Beginning in 2015 he held a Friday residency for two years as part of The Darren Pickering Trio, playing at Gustav’s Wine Bar.

In 2021 Mitch performed a set of his original music to a sold-out crowd at Little Andromeda Theatre with his group THOM. He is currently working to record and release this music in 2024.

In 2022 he recorded a number of live-video studio sessions for the Youtube channel “Live at Alex’s” featuring in Toro, The Bradley Grainger Trio and Darren Pickering Quartet. This lead to the release of a full length album by Darren Pickering entitled Small Worlds, which was released on Rattle Records in 2022.

Mitch has been a passionate educator for 13 years. He has lectured 100’s of students at tertiary, secondary and primary school levels. He specialises in teaching drum-set and percussion, coaching ensembles, music theory, music reading and writing as well as transcription.

Alby Rolfe

Alby Rolfe is an experienced musician, composer, and teacher open to all musical styles, from Pop to Rock, RnB, Latin and Jazz. He has developed knowledge and experience in styles
as diverse as orchestral, West-African, Cuban, and Indian Classical music. Jazz is a major part of his musical background and forms his passion for improvisation, coordination, and
time-feel. He carries an enthusiasm to share his knowledge and experience with students while guiding them on their individual journeys. Alby’s experience teaching students of varying
ages and levels allows him to cater lessons to all learning styles.

Alby was exposed to live music at home from a young age, where he began playing drums at age 8. He also undertook brass studies on Trumpet, Euphonium and Tuba in his early school
years. Rock, RnB, and Jazz were popular choices of his parents, and have become defining elements of his style. He studied at the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School for
jazz drum set, under the tutelage of Australian drumming great Graham Morgan and distinguished drummer and teacher Damian Ellis. There he was awarded the John Hopkins
Music Award in his final year. Alby then attended Monash University where he learnt from esteemed drummers Tony Floyd, Alastair Kerr, and Dave Beck to complete a Bachelor of
Music. In his final year, he received the Monash Arts 2021 Bornstein Jazz Drumkit Prize. 

Alby performs in various groups and projects around Melbourne. He plays a diverse range of gigs, reflecting the quality of his craft in each situation. He is also involved in various recording
and session-work. He has worked alongside the likes of Julien Wilson, Tony Gould, Craig Fermanis, Brett Williams/Kate Kelsey-Sugg, Finn Rees, Cheryl Durongpisitkul, Paul
Williamson (Saxophone), Mark Ferrie, James Black, Simon Starr, Monique diMattina, Alma Zygier, and Flora Carbo. He has performed as part of the Melbourne International Jazz
Festival, St Kilda’s Southside Live and the Bendigo Blues and Roots Festival. 

 Oliver Bugg

Oliver Bugg is a professional drummer, session musician and educator actively working in the Melbourne music scene. Unrestricted by genre, Oliver draws from jazz, punk, hip-hop, folk and electronic music in his playing and is inspired by the likes of Mark Giuliana, Jack DeJohnette, Questlove, and Roni Kaspi to name a few. 

With a keen interest in music from the age of 10, Oliver picked up the drums as his first instrument, and cello shortly after. Oliver continued playing drums throughout High School, venturing into realms of funk and jazz in later years as well as the rock and contemporary music that drew him to drums. This led to the completion VCE music with high marks, and the honour of playing his rendition of John Coltrane’s jazz classic ‘Equinox’ at the recital centre for Top Class 2018. Eager to extend his skillset behind the kit, Oliver began studies at Box Hill Institute for his Batchelor of Applied Performance. Learning from some of Melbourne’s finest drummers, including Dave Beck, Tony Floyd and Rob Parolin, Oliver graduated with a High Distinction average across the board. 

Oliver currently plays for a range of Melbourne acts ranging from folk/rock with Gena Rose Bruce and Taylah Carroll to R&B/Pop with Yara Alkurd and Elaura among several others. This has led to playing opportunities at iconic Melbourne Venues such as 170 Russell, Howler, Northcote Social Club and Brunswick Ballroom, as well as festivals such as SXSW Sydney, Meadow and Euroa Music Fest.  

Oliver focuses largely on tone, feel, and creativity in his teaching, encouraging students to not only learn the fundamentals and excel at them, but to find their own originality in their playing and develop as a unique and inspiring drummer.

 

Sally Ingram

Sally Ingram is a professionally trained drummer and percussionist originally from regional NSW. Sally started performing as young as 8 years old and spent her youth playing in jazz, orchestral and big band groups, marching bands, musical theatre shows and varying bands of all genres.

Sally has accomplished numerous achievements such as performing in touring groups, playing at music festivals, band camps, winner of Best Young Performer award (10 years old) at Wagga Wagga Jazz & Blues Festival, performing at NSW School Spectacular, a nomination for NSW HSC Encore performance at the Sydney Opera House, an overall score of 97 in HSC Music and playing in acts that supported bands such as The Rubens, Kingswood, Bluejuice and British India.

Sally has an extensive background in musical theatre and has played for shows such as Rent, Mamma Mia, Mary Poppins, Strictly Ballroom, Rock Of Ages, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Hairspray, HAIR,  FAME!, The Wizard of Oz, Godspell & Sweet Charity.

Sally currently plays in multiple soul, funk, blues, rock and roll, pop/rock groups such as Shellys Motor Club, Amber Scates, Miss Friby whilst continuing to broaden her experience in session work and recording with local and abroad artists.

Sally believes in inspiring players to be authentically themselves and understands individual needs of students whilst focusing on core fundamentals, feel, technique and engaging training methods.

Ben 'Ellis' Fleming

 Ben ‘Ellis’ Fleming is a professional musician, songwriter, and educator.

They’ve played in many original bands over the past decade including GUSH, The Sunken Sea, Garage Sale, Tram Cops, and Tali and the Arms, carving

 out their reputation as 

a unique and creative drummer within the music scene.