News
Amy Winehouse drummer launches Yamaha music school partnership
Natalie MacDonald Dec 23 2009, 10:45am
Warwickshire County Music Service to teach Yamaha methods in schools
Warwickshire County Music Service is to adopt Yamaha’s Drum Encounters course and teaching materials, having invested in drum pads and amplifiers to teach 186 pupils learning drums and percussion at Warwickshire schools.
The County Music Service (CMS) is a government-funded organisation, which employs 170 instrumental, vocal and music curriculum teachers to work in 249 schools throughout Warwickshire, teaching 25,000 pupils – a number expected to increase substantially in 2010.
The partnership, the first of its kind in the UK, was launched recently at Ashlawn School, Warwickshire and included a master class given by professional drummer Troy Miller. Miller has performed with artists such as Amy Winehouse and Mark Ronson. He was joined by electronic drum specialist Simon Edgoose.
A new Drum Centre is now set to open by the end of January at Ashlawn School. It will feature a mix of live and electronic kits as well as digital practice pads that can be used with headphones.
Yamaha’s Drum Encounters course (Ages eight upwards), offers an encyclopaedic knowledge of drum patterns, styles and fills and teaches all the rudiments required to prepare players at all levels of experience for any drumming situation, using a variety of modern materials to cover a wide range of popular musical styles.
Andrew Atkins, director of Warwickshire County Music commented: “We are delighted to be bringing in Yamaha in a groundbreaking partnership to enhance our already excellent service. This is a fantastic opportunity for Yamaha and for the County Music Service, its teachers and students as well as the local community. For our pupils and teachers to experience one of the country’s top drummers at such close hand is a fantastic opportunity and I’m sure Friday 11th December will be a memorable and inspirational day for all involved. Group teaching for percussion students is more of a challenge than for other instruments and using the Yamaha’s Drum Encounters course has proved to be a much more effective and efficient method of teaching. Pupils are more likely to want to go on and join music centre activities.”
Head of Yamaha Music Schools, Nigel Burrows added: “Yamaha Music Schools already enjoys a rich heritage of state school partnerships among its 80 schools nationwide. However, I believe the decision by Warwickshire County Music Service to adopt our Drum Encounters course and teaching materials is a pivotal and defining moment in the history of Yamaha Music Schools. As with our first state school partnership many years ago, we now look forward to extending this arrangement to other county music services around the country.”
