WE’RE NOW OFFERING DRUM LESSONS!

Wyatt Martin has loved drums since he saw a taiko drum performance at school when he was 10 years old. traditional Japanese drums are expensive, but the Martins are a musical family, so his parents got him a starter drum kit instead. With the help of lessons, he started playing old rock hits and 1980s music.

Drums became more than just a hobby when he joined the marching band in ninth grade, a step Wyatt calls “a huge leap forward.” Wyatt says that participating in drumline taught humdrum theory and “the discipline I needed to take it to the next level.” His passion for drumline continued through college, where he played with Minnesota Brass Drum and Bugle Corps.

After graduating, Wyatt began offering online drum tutoring. It can be hard to teach a skill involving rhythm through shaky internet connections, so Wyatt is excited to teach in person. “I love meeting and working with new kids, and I love watching the moment when they discover that they love drums like I do.”

Explaining his passion for drums, Wyatt says, “Drums are such a uniquely visual instrument because they involve so much Armand leg movement. And I love the fact that getting better means there’s only more to learn. It’s a never-ending road, and every new thing I learn opens me up to dozens of other techniques.”

When he’s not teaching, Wyatt can often be found reading a book or watching a movie, but drums are also a big part of his downtime. “I come from a musical family,” he explains, “Every single person in my family plays an instrument. Most of us play at our church, so any given week, the worship band might be made up of 60% Martins!”

Wyatt is excited to help launch MnSOM’s new drum program, which he notes will be more sophisticated than the lessons he was giving at home. “Drums are one of the things I love most in the world,” he says, “So being able to teach drums in person at a school as great as MnSOM is something I’m really grateful for.”