A specialty of mine
NYSSMA Prep in Rochester for Drum Set and Snare
Every spring students walk into a NYSSMA room and play for one adjudicator with a clipboard.
What happens in that room is almost entirely decided in the weeks before it. I prepare drum set and snare students in Rochester for that day: solo repertoire, rudiments and sight-reading, through All-County, Area All-State, All-State and conservatory auditions. The first consultation is free. In-studio lessons are on the east side of Rochester, about fifteen minutes from downtown. Parents are always welcome to sit in.
Free. No commitment.
- InstrumentsDrum set and snare
- Levels1 through 6
- Not taughtMarimba, xylophone, vibraphone, bells
- Start3 to 6 months before the festival
See lesson pricing Starting soon? See audition-track pricing
- Eastman BM '22 · MM '24
- Teaching privately since 2017
- All-County, Area All-State, All-State on snare drum, then Eastman
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Ryan taught me not only about music, but about how to listen to music with my ears and feel it with my heart. He took time out of his lunch break to teach me jazz drumming, how to develop a better sense of groove, and how to practice my technique effectively. Meeting Ryan changed the way I think about music and about myself as a musician.
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On December 31st, because of a school program, I had the opportunity to take a jazz class that I will never forget. That was also the day I met Ryan for the first time. Although the time we spent together was short, I gained so many valuable experiences from him.
Ryan taught me not only about music, but also about how to listen to music with my ears and feel it with my heart. I am especially grateful that Ryan took time out of his lunch break that day to teach me jazz drumming, how to develop a better sense of groove, and how to practice my technique effectively. I learned so much from him in such a short amount of time.
More importantly, Ryan helped me understand that music is not just about playing the right notes or having good technique. It is about listening, feeling, and truly experiencing the music.
Before Ryan and the rest of the musicians returned to the United States, I also had the opportunity to hear them perform at a jazz concert on January 4th. That night left a deep impression on me, and it became one of the most influential concerts I have ever experienced.
Meeting Ryan and hearing his music changed the way I think about music and about myself as a musician. I am incredibly grateful for the time, knowledge, and encouragement he gave me. Even though our time together was brief, the impact he made on me will stay with me for a very long time. Thank you, Ryan, for sharing your music and your heart with me.
Alexstudent, TaiwanJazz masterclass, January 2026
Audition Intensive
About a year out
Full Year
$63.75 per 45-minute lesson, $229.50 a month, ten payments
- 36 lessons, September through June
- Mock audition with score sheet each semester
- One free recital-prep session each semester
- Reply to video or text questions within 24 hours
- Audition-ready commitment
About six months out
Audition Intensive: 6 Month
$1,620 for the six-month track
- 24 weekly 45-minute lessons
- 3 mock adjudications with written scoresheets
- Video or text feedback within 2 business days
About three months out
Audition Intensive: 3 Month
$828 for the three-month track
- 12 weekly 45-minute lessons
- 2 mock adjudications with written scoresheets
- Video or text feedback within 2 business days
What NYSSMA prep covers
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Choosing the right solo
The NYSSMA manual lists solos by level, one through six, and the choice matters more than most families realise. A level four piece played cleanly scores better than a level five piece played at the edge of control, and the difference in what a student learns is real. I pick with the student, not for them, and I say plainly when a piece is too far ahead.
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Rudiments, properly
Adjudicators ask for rudiments at every level and they hear the ones that are memorised rather than controlled. We work on open to closed rolls, flams, paradiddles and drags at tempos you own, with a metronome, until they hold up when you are nervous.
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Sight reading
This is where scores quietly get lost. Sight reading is a skill you can train, and it responds fast to a routine: scan the time signature and key details, find the hardest bar first, count before you play, and never stop to fix a mistake. We rehearse the whole procedure, not just the reading.
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Playing under pressure
In the last few weeks I run mock adjudications. The student plays the solo start to finish, out loud, for someone watching, with a scoresheet. The first one is usually rough. That is the point.
What adjudicators are listening for
I went through every step of that ladder myself as a high school snare drummer, so I know exactly what the judges are listening for.
- Tone and stick control before speed.
- Steady, musical time rather than metronomic time.
- Dynamics that are actually different from one another.
- Clean rolls with an even sound at both ends.
- Accurate rhythm reading, including the rests.
- Posture, setup and how you carry yourself in the room, which counts more than students expect.
Levels and what comes after
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Levels one through three
Levels one through three suit students in their first few years, and they reward clean, confident playing more than difficulty.
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Levels four through six
Levels four through six raise the technical bar and open the doors that matter: All-County, then Area All-State, then All-State.
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What comes after
Students of mine have been selected for All-County and coached to perfect NYSSMA scores. A strong score at level five or six is what recommendations are built on, so if that is the goal we plan for it a year out rather than a month out.
What I teach, and what I do not
I teach snare drum and drum set. Keyboard percussion solos on marimba, xylophone, vibraphone and bells are outside what I teach, so if your solo is on a mallet instrument I am not the right teacher for it.
I earned my Bachelor of Music in 2022 and my Master of Music in 2024 from the Eastman School of Music, where I was a teaching assistant and taught the undergraduate introduction to jazz drumming course, and I have taught privately since 2017.
Keep reading
Common questions
When should we start preparing?
Three to four months before the festival for levels one through three, and closer to six months for levels four through six. Starting earlier does not mean practising more each week. It means having enough runway to change the solo if the first choice turns out to be wrong.
Do you help pick the solo from the NYSSMA manual?
Yes. We look at the list for the level you are aiming at, play through a few, and choose one that fits your strengths and gives you something to learn. If your school director has already assigned a piece, we work with that.
My child plays in the school band but has never had private lessons. Is that a problem?
No. A lot of my NYSSMA students come to me exactly that way. Band rehearsal is built around the ensemble, so individual technique often has gaps that nobody has had time to look at. Those gaps are usually quick to close once someone is watching one player.
What if the solo is on marimba or bells?
Then I am not your teacher for it. I teach snare drum and drum set, and I would rather tell you that now than take the lesson. If part of your requirement is on snare and part is on a mallet instrument, I am happy to prepare the snare portion.
Start early
Book the free consultation and we will look at the manual together.