Drum Lessons in Houston
A Complete Music School Program with Lessons in
Drumset - Guitar - Bass - Keyboard - Voice - Saxophone 
World & Latin Percussion - Marimba - Drum Corp

The Percussion Center School of Music offers a music program for young people and adults throughout the greater Houston area that includes private lessons, clinics, master classes, jam sessions, workshops, showcase events, and band camps.  This format guarantees an opportunity for accelerated learning and performance opportunities. The excellent teaching staff can assist you whether your goal is to brush up on your technique or start from scratch. Lessons are taught in our private studios six days a week.  Lessons available for drumset, guitar, bass, keyboard, voice, marimba, drum corp, world & Latin percussion and saxophone. Clinics, showcase events, jam sessions, master classes and band camps are held in the Percussion Center performance hall. Band Camps offered include Rock 'n Roll Band Camp, GirlzRock Band Camp and Rock On Band Camp.

Teaching Staff

Patrick Courtney - Drum Set and Percussion
Patrick is the drummer for Sugar Land Christ United Methodist Church and currently plays with his band "Off the Record".  He has been playing the drums since he was 12 and earned state honors in Jazz Ensemble while at Nacogdoches High School.  He graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University where he played with the Lumberjack Marching Band (Quads and Snare), Symphonic Band (Snare, Timpani) and the Swinging Axes Jazz Band.  Patrick has been teaching since 1998 and joined our staff in 2004.  He teaches reading, concert snare and many styles of drum set in a fun and relaxed way.  He especially loves to work with our young students or those who have never played before.

Luis Alfaro - Drums and Percussion
Drumset and master percussionist, Luis Alfaro graduated from the Kienzel School of Music in Miami, Florida and the Academy of Sacred Music in New York City.  He is motivated by his father and mentore, music professor, Mr. Jorge Alfaro, whom he has studied with for many years and still more to come.  He has also studied under Latin percussionist and drumset artists including University of Miami's Billy Vee and Latin great Arturo Sandoval.  In his native country of Costa Rica he created his own Latin percussion ensemble and was in charge of the percussion faculty of the Barva Percussion Institue of Music and the Monterrey High School Drum Core.  As a performer he has toured Europe, the United States and Latin American with big bans, jazz ensembles, Latin percussion groups, rock bands and classical ensembles.  He enjoys teaching all ages and all styles of music.  If it's Latin percussion, hand percussion or any style of drumset instruction, Luis is highly qualified and totally bilingual.

Luis Alfaro - Baterista y percussionista profesional
Baterista y percussionista profesional, Luis Alfaro graduado de la Escuela de Musica Kienzel en Miami, FL y de la Academia de Musica Sagrada en Nueva York.  Motivado por su padre licendiado en musica Don Jorge Alfaro con el que ha estudiado por muchos anos.  Tambien ha estudiado bajo la direccion de muchos artistas de percusion latina y bateria incluyendo los profesores Billy Vee y el gran maestro de musica latina Artura Sandoval de la "U" de Miami.  Regresando a su pais Costa Rica, creo su propia agrupacion de musica latina.  Encargado de la facultad de percusion de el Instituto de Musica de Barva, Costa Rica, y del cuerpo d tambores del Colegio Monterrey.  Como ejecutante se ha presentado en Europa, America, Latina y grandes cuidades de los Estados Unidos con conjuntos, orguestas, ensambles de percusion de jazz, musica Latina, rock y musica clasica.  El disfruta ensenor todas las edades y todos estilos de musica sea percusion Latina o bateria, Luis es todo un instructor profesional y completamente bilingue.

Jim Calvert - Drumset, Snare Drum, Marching Percussion, Basic Piano
Jim began playing the concert snare in elementary school and continued through junior high.  In high school, he joined the jazz band (drum set) and marching band (quads).  He became the first junior to take the position of marching percussion leader at his school and as a senior, received the John Phillips Sousa award for his achievements.  Jim then went on to receive a music scholarship at Missouri Baptist University and graduated with a Bachelors degree in vocal music in 1996.  He currently is playing with several cover and original bands and has appeared on several albums.  Jim has been teaching private lessons since high school and teaches drum set, snare drum, marching percussion and basic piano.

Nancy Sofka - Voice
Nancy Sofka’s passion is singing and performing. Some of the musicians that she has sung with include Bob Henschen, Joe LoCascio, Paul English, Ken Ward, and Russ White at venues including Cezannes, Los Andes, Ovations, Post Oak Grill, and the Argentine Grill.  She has performed in various musicals and comedy variety shows with The Country Playhouse, Cleo’s Comedy Players, The Variety Club Players, Life is Improv and the Third Coast Comedy team.  She has also produced nine shows of her own with the Louie’s Girls Comedy Troupe and coached and produced shows with the Katy Comedy Players Kids Comedy Troupe.

As a vocal coach Nancy will focus on placement, breath control, and finding “your sound”, as a professional singer and performer, stage presence and song delivery will be addressed as well. She has recently completed her debut album “The Song is You” and is currently performing in the “dramedy” musical “Broadway on the Bayou” at the Third Coast Comedy theater.  Nancy and her husband have four grown daughters two of which are studying music and performance in college.  Her passion is contagious and has had the whole family involved in singing and performing at one time or another.

Candace Jordan - Piano, Violin, Cello, Mallet Instruments
Candace Jordan will be graduating from Texas Southern University in December 2007 as a music education major.She has with the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff "M4" Marching Band, "KRANK" Drumline, University Wind Symphony and with the Little Rock Wind Symphony as a keyboard and auxiliary percussionist.She was also a member of the Texas Southern "Ocean of Soul" Marching Band, "Funk Train" Drumline, and University Wind Ensemble.As a private lesson teacher, Candace has trained a studio of 30 students ranging from the ages of 4 to 30 in piano and Suzuki violin.She is highly capable of teaching piano at all levels, violin and cello from the beginner to the intermediate level, and all keyboard percussions from the beginner to the intermediate level. Candace Jordan is also educated in using the Kodaly, Suzuki, Dalcroze, and Orff methods to teach music to all students of various learning modalities.

Rodney Quindoy - Drumset

Ian Hammer - Drumset, Guitar, Bass

Trey Willis - Drumset, Guitar, Bass, Marching, Marimba

Brian Bell - Drumset

Lee Martin -Guitar, Bass and Keyboards

Nick Huneycutt - Drumset, Marching Percussion 

Dustin Wolfe - Drumset

How to get signed up for the Percussion Center Music Program:

Call or come by the the Percussion Center and fill out a Student Registration Form.  Once you decide on the date, time and teacher for your lesson program, place your name on the lesson schedule to reserve your lesson time each week.  

Lessons are taught at the Percussion Center in one of our lesson rooms on weekdays and Saturdays.  As a participant in the Percussion Center Music Program, you will receive a 10% discount on all purchases of drumstick and drumheads during the time that you are enrolled and active in the program. 

Artists-in-Residence Instructors

Mike Henry
Mike Henry is the founder of the Percussion Center and HP Custom Drums. Mike is a Paiste Artist and a member of ASCAP.  He plays with Big Percussion and recently composed and played for the film "The Last Known Documentary".  Mike teaches drumset and brush technique and is availabe for lessons on Thursdays.

Earnest Potts - Saxophone & Flute 
Over thirty years as a working musician, Earnest Potts has toured the United States and Asia. At Texas Southern University, Earnest studied Composition and arranging and played in the TSU Jazz Ensemble
713-468-9100

Other musicians who will be scheduled for clinics, master classes and private classes throughout the year include Ed Soph, Steve Allison, Jim Chapin, Michael Spiro, Mel Zelnick, Will Kennedy, Josh Dekaney, Eric Tucker and James Metcalfe.

Sign Up for Lessons Now: 
713-468-9100
lessons@percussiononline.com

THANKS for all you do with Jordan.  It really means a lot to us that you take so much time and effort to make sure that he understands what he's doing and to personally connect with him rather than just going through the motions of teaching. 

We've seen so much more confidence and self-esteem in him with regard to his drums lately, and I know that is because you are demanding that he tap into his potential when he could slide along. I'm not sure if you remember, but he didn't originally "make" this Jr High band at church; he was only listed as an alternate on drums and voice.  That audition process was the end of last school year, before he spent the summer working with you, participating in the Percussion Center Rock 'n Roll Band Camp and practicing what you taught.  His ability increased, his demeanor was confident, he did well when he got to play and has been included in the band. 

In fact, I was thinking about all of this because he told us last night when we picked him up from a two hour rehearsal that he was the only drummer there.  He said he didn't know the songs, but he learned them - didn't seem stressed or anything and that credit goes to you.  I remember you initially told me you wanted to back him up, teach him some things over, make sure he does them right, give him the ability to "know" what's going on and have others recognize that......it's just been awesome to watch the changes and see him realize this goal of playing in the youth band, and I wanted to let you know that!

Plus, we have really enjoyed getting to know you and Donna and all the guys at the store better during these last months that you have been teaching him.  It's wonderful how you've integrated such a wonderful warm family and caring atmosphere into your business, and we appreciate that fact.  It's really been a blessing for us in finding the Percussion Center, and that care and involvement is what brought us there for lessons.

I'm sure you've made a difference to a lot of people.  Just wanted to let you know.