Drum Set Teachers

Drums & Percussion

Drum Set Teachers

The Music Shoppe of Springfield

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Brandon Townsend

Drum Set Instructor | Springfield, IL

Brandon Townsend started drumming at a young age, and quickly discovered his passion. In junior high and high school he was chosen for Honor Bands every year. He was awarded the Terrence Flannigan award for musical excellence. He was a member of his high school marching band as well as the very first Greenville College Marching Band in 2011. Ever since 2002, he has played a variety of musical styles including: jazz, blues, rock, big band and worship music.

His professional career includes playing in the pit orchestra for Spring Awakening at the Legacy Theater and Beauty and the Beast at the Muni, both in 2012. He released a Christmas CD in 2010 with Tinseltown Marauders. He played many area shows with Solar Cadet, including SOHO Music Festival in 2016, and released a CD of original music. He was a member of the Sangamon Valley Civic Orchestra in 2015. Brandon has played praise and worship music at area churches ever since 2006. He currently plays at West Side Christian Church in Springfield. He also plays with Nashville recording artist Tyler Daniel, and Ty and the Family Foundation. He previously played with the University of Illinois at Springfield concert and pep bands as well as The Company Blues Band.

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Darin Holthaus

Drum Set & Percussion Instructor | Springfield, IL

 Darin Holthaus, drum set and percussion lesson teacher at The Music Shoppe of Springfield, IL

Darin Holthaus is one of the Mid-West’s most professional, highly talented, and sought after music performers and educators. He brings 20+ years of performance, private, and public education to the table, including percussion ensembles and drum lines.

Darin holds a Commercial Music Degree with an emphasis in percussion performance from Millikin University's Conservatory of Music. He has vast musical experience including recording on countless albums for independent artists and recorded/toured with Nashville recording artists. His experience includes performing with various orchestral, jazz, choir, country, rock, funk, and concert band groups. That experience, knowledge, and the way he applies it to education, will undoubtedly help you in your musical journey. Contact us today to get started!

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Ronnie Engel

Remo Artist

Percussion Instructor | Springfield, IL

 

Ronnie Engel is a pluralistic drummer/percussionist/composer equally skilled in the realms of drum kit, hand-drumming, and multi-percussion. He has developed a method of playing referred to as "polydrum," which is a hybrid pan-global application of techniques to instrument/objects in an ambidextrous manner. This craftwork has been presented in an array of context including most all popular music genres, for orchestra and contemporary ensembles, for film and tv, for theatre and modern dance, for carillon with percussion, West African drumming, Indonesian gamelan, for composers Lou Harrison and Jon Hassell, and most notably as a performing member of the Harry Partch Ensemble under the direction of Danlee Mitchell.

His education includes studies in orchestral and contemporary percussion at Illinois State University, world music at the Center for World Music and San Diego State University, world music and percussion at California Institute of the Arts BFA/MFA, carillon with Karel Keldermans, instruction from Mark Craney, Rusty Gillette, Glenn Cronkhite, Gary Neihaus, and percussion knowledge as shared by John Noonan. 

As an educator he has taught both privately and in institutional environments for all ages and levels of learning including as world percussion faculty at California State University Long Beach and works for Remo Drum Inc. 

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