Qualifications and Influences
(Updated: June 17, 2024)
"I consider every drummer that ever played before me an influence,
in every way."
- Buddy Rich
My qualifications include:
- Remo HealthRHYTHMS Group Empowerment Drumming Facilitation Training (Frank Thompson, 2020)
- Village Music Circles Certificate East Coast Facilitators Intensive Training (Arthur Hull and Nellie Hill, 2018)
- Certificate Drum Circle Leadership Training Level I (Jim Donovan and sponsored by St. Francis University, 2014)
- Certificate in Primary Health Care Collaboration (Dalhousie University and Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2008)
- Diploma in Information Technology (Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2002)
- Bachelors Degree in Vocational Education (Memorial University of Newfoundland, 1993)
- Masters Degree in Business Administration (Dalhousie University, 1981)
- Bachelors Degree in Business Administration (St. Francis Xavier University, 1979)
I played in my first band at the age of 12 and got out of the basement at the at the age of 15. I have had the honour of playing with a number of fantastic musicians at some wonderful venues. In addition, I have appeared at a number of major festivals around the Island including:
- Unscripted Twillingate Digital Arts Festival (2023)
- St. John’s Canada Day Celebrations (2022)
- Bay Robert’s Songs, Stages and Seafood Festival (2022)
- Burlington’s The Gathering (2019)
- Corner Brook's Come Home Year Gala with Crosstown Traffic (2019)
- Sound Symposium XIX (2018)
- St. John’s Days (2016)
- Paradise’s Multicultural Showcase (2018)
- World Dance Alliance with Dunungbe (2017)
- Clarenville’s Arts under the Stars (2017)
- Bell Island’s Canada 150 Celebrations (2017)
- Provincial Francophonie Day (2017)
- Corner Brook’s Sounds of Summer (2016)
- Gander’s Festival of Flight (2015)
- St. John’s Tombolo Multicultural Festival (2015)
- Mount Pearl Frosty Festival (2015)
My percussion teaching influences include:
- Dave Averre (Portland, OR)
- M'bemba Bangoura (Queens, NY)
- Robin Boers (Toronto, ON)
- Leo Fagan (Corner Brook, NL)
- Ewald Hajek (Corner Brook, NL)
- Barry James (Orlando, FL)
- Louis Pocock (London, UK)
- Denny Solo (Corner Brook, NL)
- Ron Tierno (New York City, NY)
- Tony Tucker (St. John's, NL)
- Don Wherry (St. John's, NL)
I am a retired Aikido Sandan (Third Degree Black Belt) with the United States Aikido Federation and trained for 24 years and taught for 16 years. I am a Ikkyu (First Kyu) in Iaido and teach at The Rock Kendo & Iaido Club and am a member of Ka Muso Kai affliated with the Canadian Kendo Federation.
I have many years of working experiences including project management/consulting, financial/decision support systems modelling, web development/computing, teaching, and drumming. I also served on MusicNL's Member Task Force.