TRAINING
DRUMS & PERCUSSION CENTER offers diverse courses depending on the student’s level and age. Two different curriculums may be followed according to the needs and desires of each student:
- be it an industry standard formation designed to take students from the elementary to the pre professional and professional levels preparing them, if they desire, for international schools. Each level is acquired through an exam which enables the student to pass to the next level.
- be it a Recreational curriculum for aspiring drummers who do not wish to engage in advanced studies. No examination is required at the end year.
For the little ones (as of age 6), we have an introductory course, designed to acquire the basics of rhythm through a fun but effective method and leading to the preparatory level (as of age 10).
THE LEVELS at “DRUMS & PERCUSSION CENTER”
Groups for the lessons are formed with the goal to preserve an even level among the students in each class.
FROM BEGINNER TO ADVANCED
INITIATION Lessons (ages: 6 to 9)
ages: 6 to 9
Up to four years of lessons… Students pass to the PREPARATORY level at age 10.
Lesson description
Lessons are 50 minutes long. Our objective is to guide students while they get acquainted with the instrument, rhythms, musical notation, and music overall.
Always fun and friendly, the lessons are designed to make your child love music…
PREPARATORY Lessons (age 10 and up)
L’APPRENTISSAGE
Ages 10 and up
There are three levels (P1, P2, and P3), for adolescents and adults who are new to the drum set.
Lessons are 50 minutes long. Students will learn the basics of drumming, music notation, limb independence, coordination, technique, and tempo while learning modern musical genres that are fundamental to drumming: Rock, RnB, Funk, Soul, Jazz, Afro Cuban, Jazz Rock, etc…
- Implementation using musical examples
- Development of autonomy (drum musical notation and sheet music reading)
- Use of rudiments such as singles, doubles, paradiddles, etc, as exercises to improve technique.
After level P3, recreational lessons « Loisirs » will be available to students unable to continue the Al Widmoser Methods for drumming proficiency.
ELEMENTARY Lessons
Advanced Studies: IN-DEPTH TRAINING
3 years of studies (E1, E2, E3)
Lessons are 50 minutes long.
They are designed for students who wish to have a deeper knowledge of drumming, technique, and to broaden their musical universe.
- Mastery of binary rhythms
- Learning to train using rhythmic patterns
- Initiation of Latin and Afro-Cuban rhythms
- Further development of ternary/swing rhythms: awareness of the different forms of jazz and their evolution.
- Developing the use of accentuation, flams, drags, etc.
…using the Al Widmoser Methods and others as well….
After level P3, recreational lessons « Loisirs » will be available to students unable to continue the Al Widmoser Methods for drumming proficiency.
PRE-PROFESSIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LEVELS
PRE-PROFESSIONAL Lessons
PERFECTING THE CRAFT
3 years of lessons (M1, M2, M3)
Only for our most devoted students, always ready to invest a lot of time to further hone their skills. Solos, improvisation, fast tempos, odd times, coordination, independance, binary and ternary fills, rhythm and break construction, mastering jazz and latin music, working with loops, and sequences.
- Awareness on performing on stage.
- Advanced work on rhythmic patterns
- Solo developement
- Experience inside the recording studio
The chance to specialize in a particular musical genre (jazz, latin, funk, heavy metal)
PROFESSIONAL Lessons
Entrance examination
2 years of lessons (PRO1, PRO2)
Description of the levels and goals
- Preparation for entrance contests into several major music schools: Berklee college of music (Boston USA), Tech Music School (Londres), etc
- The program is established between the professor and the student in order to best suit his needs.
Practicing at home every day is strongly recommended in order to progress constantly and rapidly.
RECREATIONAL LESSONS “LOISIR”
Assigned Lessons
No exams
After level P3, parallel “Loisir” (Recreational) lessons are proposed to students unable to fulfill the requirements and standards of the Al Widmoser Method’s program of study.