FACULTY TUTORS To be a faculty tutor you have to have proved your worth as a tutor and a member of the team. Often more qualified but certainly more experienced, Faculty Tutors are often involved in teaching in schools and colleges as well as at JtDⓈ towers. They are fully pro drummers who are more fluent in numerous styles and are able to take students through the grade system with ease. There is at least one faculty tutor in every day of the week.
Dominique Puddephatt
FACULTY TUTORDominique has brought her unique skills to the faculty here. Back in 2015, she was our first Grade 8 girl. gaining a Diploma in Music Technology at Bucks University, Dommy holds her own in this male dominated instrument, and she has now been with us for 6 years in a teaching capacity. Her teaching time has gradually increased, as she proves to be a popular choice for many of our students. Dominique also finds time to play for various local theatre productions, so keeps her hand in as a performer as well as a tutor.
Liam Burgoyne
FACULTY TUTORLiam steps into the shoes of Faculty Member and has proved his worth. He is forging his way into the world of Pro playing. He passed Grade 8 at 16 and has not stopped his thirst for new things in the world of drums. Knowledge that he is ready and eager to pass on to students. Liam currently hlds the drumstool for Who's got the Dog, and As Everything Unfolds. He is equally happy playing killer kick grooves of Metal as he is swinging away to Big Band jazz.
Pete Morrisby
SENIOR FACULTY TUTORAfter doing a Maths degree, Pete saw the light and rang the changes by studying drums at the Institute of Contemporary Music,. He has been with JtDⓈ in a teaching capacity since 2012. He is the quiet guy who lets the drums speak for him, and he really loves to pass his knowedge on to others. In the past decade Pete has become a really valued and knowlegable part of the team.
COVER TUTORS Are our "fill in go to's" for when one of the tutors is away with a gig. They are guys who have taught with us before, but for one reason and another, are unable to do a regular slot. They know their stuff, and are able to slide on to any of our drum stools as they are completely at home with the way we do things here.
Danny Newell
FACULTY COVER TUTORDan is the multi-instrumentalist technician of the team.He started teaching here whilst studying at Drumtech (BIMM London). With tutoring posts in several local schools, Danny is a busy player currently playing in the popular touring show of We Will Rock You all over Europe, he has also tored with the official Evita production in the far East and Bye Bye Baby in the UK, as well as being number one dep for numerous top theatre drummers.
SENIOR/ SPECIALIST TUTORS With decades of teaching and playing amongst them, the senior faculty are the most experienced tutors at the school. They have taught both in private settings, in schools and colleges, up to and beyond degree level. They promise nothing other than to make you the best drummer that you can be, whether that leads to a career or just a life-long hobby. Along the way, they have helped launch the careers of numerous drummers making their way in the world of music today.
John Graham
( a.ka. John the Drum )
HEAD OF FACULTYJohn has been teaching drums for most of his adult life ( a long time now!) What started as some regular income for a struggling musician blossomed into something rather bigger, leading to the present day JtDⓈ.
Going back a little, John was mentored by entertainer Roy Castle, who started him on formal lessons aged 11 with the jazz legend, Tony Oxley, who was the house drummer at Ronnie Scott’s Club in Soho. When Tony moved on he studied with Joe Hodson, a well respected West End drummer.
A seven year stint with the band beehive meant he toured the country and various parts of Europe, clocking up to 150 gigs a year.
In 1995 they teamed up with producer Steve Levine ( Culture Club ) who recorded and produced a single, Presence of Your Love. This lifted the band profile getting airplay on major radio stations both in the U.K. and abroad. In 1997 they won a M.O.B.O. ( Music of Black Origin) award for Best Gospel Act, which led to T.V. and radio sessions for the BBC, MTV and others. As well as headlining their own gigs, they supported Micia Paris, James Taylor Quartet, Courtney Pine, and Alexander O’Neal. They were also well known on the Gospel and CCM circuit playing at festivals such as Soul Survivor and Greenbelt,
He has also sessioned for the likes of the BBC, Matt Redman, and Sal Solo.
A graduate of the legendary Berklee College in the USA, and winner of the Buddy Rich Scholarship three years in succession, Sebastiaan came to prominence in the U.K. working with Jamie Cullum. He recorded and toured with Jamie for several years, including the multi-platinum albums 20 Something and Pointless Nostalgic. He can be seen in action Cullum’s Live at Blenheim Palace DVD which of course is freely available on You Tube. Further credits include BBC Big Band, Matthias Lupi, Gary Husband and the James Taylor Quartet. His current gig is with Matt Bianco, and is a regular face at the world famous Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in Soho. Other than that he is one of the MD's for the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, and he lectures at Leeds College and BIMM London. If you want to brush up on your technique then this is the man you need to spend some time with.