Each month, we take a closer look at one of the teachers involved in our Teacher Integration Program.
This month’s Teacher Spotlight focuses on Bart Robley, from Fullerton, California. For more information, visit Bart at www.bartrobley.com
Read on to learn more about Bart and his teaching practice in California … and if you’d like to be considered for the teacher of the month spotlight – please click here to complete our application form!
1. Where are you located, and where do you teach?
I’m in Fullerton California and I have a private studio at Mo’s Fullerton Music.
2. How many students do you teach, and what is their range of ability levels?
I currently have 52 students. They range from beginner to professional. A few of my students play in really good bands and earn money doing so.
I use the book I wrote, “The School Of Hard Rocks”, Tommy Igoe “Groove Essentials”, Ted Reed’s “Syncopation” and Jim Chapin’s “Advanced Techniques for the Modern Drummer”.
4. How are you incorporating new media (DVDs, Mp3s, Internet, etc) into your teaching?
I also did a DVD that goes along with my book, “The School of Hard Rocks”. I use the Tommy Igoe DVD’s and MP3’s. I point to the Vic Firth web site as a resource and many other web sites.
5. Do you have any funny anecdotes or stories from your teaching?
I don’t know if it is funny or not but this is my favorite story. I was playing in a talent show with one of my students about a year ago. It was outside and we were playing a snare drum duet that is three pages long. I had paper clipped all the music to the stand but half way through the first page a gust of wind came up and blew all three pages off the stand. I looked at my student and it didn’t even phase him. We played on as parents and teachers scrambled to get the music. When they got it they put it on the stand on the wrong order, it was really messed up. Everything that could go wrong with the sheet music did. My student didn’t miss a beat. He nailed it to the wall. I was very proud of him, he handled it like a real pro!
6. What are your general thoughts on drumming, teaching, music….?
I think everyone plays for different reasons. I try to teach all my students that drumming is a way for them to express themselves personally. I tell all my students to work hard to become “The best you, that you can be”. I learned that from a lesson with Gregg Bissonette.
I tell my students who want to be, or who are professional players, “A good drummer practices until they get it right. A professional player practices until he can’t get it wrong.”
Visit Bart at www.bartrobley.com