Phillip Giles - Drums, Next Level Bands

My name is Phillip Giles and I have been playing for over 30 years and over 15 years teaching. I enjoyed playing with the drumline at my high school and value the standards of excellence I learned from those experiences. For percussion students who are interested in developing their skills for middle school or high school drumline, I focus on technique, timing, and reading music. I encourage these students to bring their band music so that we can focus on skills that support their school band experiences.

My favorite thing about teaching is developing a student’s individual style. I enjoy building relationships with students to identify their personal interests and musical goals. As I learn their interests, I adapt lessons to include music that will develop their musical skills and be enjoyable to them. I enjoy helping students develop their personal style of playing.

Because each student is different, I design weekly lessons to meet each student’s unique goals. In weekly lessons, I incorporate the fundamentals of music, but also allow students to explore their favorite songs or riffs. I like to see students discover their talents and reach their goals, while having a great time enjoying themselves in the process. Most students who are learning drum set are working towards the goal of being able to play with a band. A good drummer lays the foundation for a band to jam together. With that in mind, we typically incorporate an accompaniment track for them to play with during weekly lessons as they are learning new songs.