About Josh Persad

About Me:

I'm a passionate and motivated instructor who loves working with students of all ages and levels and sharing my love of music. I apply my healthy approach of playing to all styles and can help you perform with ease and expression no matter what your goals are. I am currently attending Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University with a Master of Music in Percussion and Jazz Drumset Performance. I have studied under the direction of Joseph Tompkins, Kyle Zerna, Ian Sullivan, Mike Truesdell, Javier Diaz, Victor Lewis, Robby Ameen, and Peter Saleh. I currently maintain a busy performing and teaching schedule that has taken me all around the United States, especially in the areas of NJ/NYC/Philadelphia. I would love the chance to join you in your process of becoming the player you want to be and share my firsthand experience.

My Experience:

My teaching experience dates back to high school, when I began mentoring students under the direction of three of my high school band directors. My teachers have instilled in me the importance of healthy and efficient playing and performance techniques that are sustainable and can last you a lifetime. Patience is key, progress takes time! In lessons, we will work with exercises to show you the full potential of your instrument. I place a lot of importance on my students knowing HOW to make the sound they want to make, not merely on imitation. I desire for you to play and form your own style, which is strong and impressive without any manipulation. My training comes from my experience studying as an orchestral percussionist and drumset player, but you'll find that these techniques are applicable to effective playing in all styles and genres.

My Methods:

My method of working with drums and percussion is to first get a sense of what the student's goals are. These include both goals involving general drums/percussion and career/performance goals. We will then work together to form a plan to achieve them. This will include exercises tailored directly to the student's needs and desires within drums/percussion as well as overall musical standings and guiding the student to repertoire that will both be fun for them to play and will teach them more about the concepts we are working on. It is my hope that our lessons can provide tools for the student to leave my studio feeling empowered to perform in whatever capacity they desire.

My Teaching Style:

My teaching style is very thorough and patient. I welcome mistakes of course! It is not about how often you fall down, but about how you get up again. If you want to work hard, I will work hard as well. My students know the importance of regular practice in order to build dependable muscle memory in their playing. In a lesson, we will spend half the amount of time working on technical building exercises and half the time working on repertoire. When we work on music, it is for the purpose of unlocking the student's ability to perform it with the technique we are working on. Perfection is not as important as work ethic, understanding, and the process of how to get to the next level.