Ross Ha.

I have been playing drum set and percussion for over 12 years.  My earliest influences were mostly classic rock legends including John Bonham, Neil Peart, Carl Palmer, Bill Ward, Phil Ehart and Ginger Baker, which in turn meant that my early playing was deep in rock territory.  As high school came to an end, my tastes and influences had widened to include newer rock drummers such as Jon Theodore, Danny Carey and Josh Freese, older, more obscure drummers like Micheal Giles, Bill Bruford, Alan White, Buddy Miles and Billy Cobham, and my interest in jazz began to grow.  Through four years of studying jazz in college, my influences have grown to include many of the great jazz drummers of the last century, such as Art Blakey, Elvin Jones, Max Roach, Phillie Joe Jones, Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa, Dannie Richmond and Connie Kay, as well as jazz vibraphone players Lionel Hampton, Milt Jackson, Bobby Hutcherson and Gary Burton.  As a teacher, I feel it is important for students to understand the rich history of music through their own performance, draw comparisons between the past and the present, and dig into their own influences to create a unique sound and style.  I like to teach by playing examples either in person, via a recording or with musical notation.  My foci for teaching include motion control and conservation, application of rudiments to drum set, style and genre basics, soloing and comping, all of which can be molded around each student's individual goals and desires.

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