Percussion Instructors
MARK CLARK
Drums & Percussion
Mark has been a professional musician since the age of 12. Raised in Santa Fe, he has had the opportunity to play a wide variety of musical styles from artists like Bo Diddley, Taj Mahal, Bob Weir, Noel Redding, Ottmar Liebert, Kip Winger and Cat Stevens, to locally with groups like Hillary Smith, Manzanares, Sean Healen, Jono Manson. He is the primary percussion/drum instructor at College of Santa Fe and is a guest clinician and endorser for Zildjian, Vic Firth, Aquarian and LP.
Mark studied at Berklee College of Music and the Los Angeles Jazz Workshop and also holds teaching positions at Northern New Mexico Music, Santa Fe Indian School, College of Santa Fe, Desert Academy and Humming Bird Music Camp.
JIM GOULDEN
Drums, Percussion & Guitar
Jim grew up in Los Angeles, CA. He began drum lessons at 6 years of age and in 1979 began his professional career at the age of 14 at the Landmark Gospel Church in Los Angeles CA. He graduated from the Dick Grove School of Music in 1987 where he studied with David Garabaldi, Louis Conte, and many others, and he travelled to West Africa in 1993 to pursue a study of traditional African rhythms and music and he currently performs extensively, playing and teaching the musical stylings of that region as well as Central and South America. He has been performing, recording, and teaching for the last 20+ years. Settling in NM in 1994 with the birth of his own group The Gluey Brothers, he has been touring the Southwest for the better part of 15 years. He can be heard currently in Santa Fe and Albuquerque with such groups as Nacha Mendez, Maya Mundi, The Louis Gustav Latin Jazz band, and The Gluey Brothers.
JOEY FLORIDIA
Drum & Percussion
Though heavy metal is the style that Joey prefers to play, this is not the only music he is capable of playing. Joey specializes in classic drum core playing, jazz, fusion, funk, blues, swing, latin, reggae, regitone, and of course, classic rudimentary playing used in concert and symphonic bands. He wants to share his abilities and ideas with anyone willing to listen and try. He is open to all age groups and is especially good with small children.
Also he is willing to teach any style you would like to learn, and with an unbiased opinion.
So please give him a call or email, and don't be afraid to ask. He teaches at three levels, Beginner ($20 an hour), Intermediate ($30 an hour), and Advanced ($40+ an hour). Willing to negotiate hours. “Learn to read. Learn by ear. Learn that there is nothing you can't play.
505-401-0430
katoren@aol.com
JEFF SUSSMANN
Drums & Percussion
Jeff has been playing drum set and percussion for over 40 years and teaching for over 30. His curriculum is concise, efficient and tuned to your needs. All ages and levels, from beginners to advanced are welcome. “My goal is to produce fluent drummers with a wide stylistic vocabulary, who are comfortable in any musical situation.” Major areas of focus include drum set, snare drum, vibraphone, marimba, hand drums & tabla. Students may study theory (reading, counting, subdivision - melody and harmony where applicable), rudiments & polyrhythms. Techniques for sticks, mallets, fingers, hands and feet will be explored, based on the instrument(s) being studied.
His background includes working with numerous groups & songwriters playing rock, jazz, fusion, folk, blues, country, R&B, flamenco, latin, brazilian, world beat, trance, electronic percussion, orchestra, percussion ensemble, modern dance and musical theatre. He has recorded with Michael Stearns, Krishna Das, Ottmar Liebert, Tulku & ThaMuseMeant. He is co-founder & co-producer of “The Drum is the Voice of the Trees,” a series of drumming and percussion concerts held in Santa Fe since 1992. He has studied with Christopher Shultis and Paul Wertico, and taught at The College of Santa Fe for 15 years.
MILTON VILLARRUBIA, III
Drums & Percussion
Milton was born in New Orleans, Louisiana where he lived and played music until he moved to Santa Fe at the age of 19. He received his Bachelors Degree in Jazz Performance in 2006 from The University of New Orleans. He has worked with The Santa Fe Opera as an Artist-In-Residence as a Composer in the education department, composing operas for students ranging from kindergarten to seventh grade. Milton specializes in teaching beginner & intermediate students. Private lessons are focused on: technique, rudiments, various musical styles, extended and experimental techniques, playing solid time with and without a metronome, New Orleans second-line drumming, transcriptions and how to form and/or work with a band.
505-603-4223
PETER WILLIAMS
Bass, Drums, Guitar, Songwriting, Voice, & Theory
Peter is a multi-instrumentalist with over thirty years of professional experience. That experience encompasses everything from Classical, Broadway, and Jazz, to Rock, Funk, World Music, and Hip Hop. He is a composer, conductor, bandleader, and teacher. Over the years Peter has taught and performed with more than 1000 musicians, singers, dancers, and actors. He has appeared on dozens of albums, in pit orchestras, concerts, in commercials, and in films. Most recently, Peter has been developing his own School of Rock programs in the Santa Fe school system, including Desert Academy, Santa Fe School for the Arts & sciences, and Warehouse 21 Teen Arts Center. He was also part of the Adjunct Faculty of the Contemporary Music Program at the College of Santa Fe. Peter fronts his own band (rev. karolkingkong,), and is a sideman for artists such as Jono Manson, Sean Healen, Firecat of Dischord (featuring Wes Studie), and the Societease Show.
Peter also plays the fire-breathing, blood-spitting demon in the KISS tribute band, Love Gun, and is bassist in Moby Dick, a Led Zeppelin tribute band. Peter is also offering ensemble classes for all styles of music.