About Us
DrumWorks is a Guernsey-based drum school established in 2008 by Wayne Mahy. It aims to bring drum tuition to students of all ages and abilities, allowing them to reach their goals while working at their own pace in a relaxed environment.
Tutor Biography - Wayne Mahy
Wayne started playing drums at the age of 19 when a friend introduced him to the instrument. Over the next five years, he performed in various bands as well as playing in his church in Guernsey, Channel Islands.
In September 2004, Wayne moved to London with his wife, Lorraine, to study drums and percussion full time at Drumtech in Acton, London. He gained the Diploma in Popular Music Performance, a qualification which is accredited by Thames Valley University. While in London, Wayne studied under some of the best session/freelance drummers in the UK, such as Francis Seriau (Founder of Drumtech), Mick Morena and Erik Stams (as seen teaching Aled Jones on the BBC programme Play it Again).
After graduating, Wayne moved to Southampton and started to teach drums on a part-time basis to students in the surrounding region. He also got involved in local Jazz/Funk band Manuka Honey, playing gigs in Southampton. Wayne also made regular trips to Guernsey during this time to teach during the school holidays.
Due to an increase in the number of students in Guernsey, Wayne moved back to the island in August 2006 where he began teaching approximately 50 students each week, either in his studio or at the students’ homes. In September 2007, the opportunity arose to teach in several schools on the island, enabling Wayne to give weekly lessons to an additional 45 students. During 2007, Wayne also became endorsed by Southampton Drumzone.
In May 2008, Wayne began entering some of his students for Rockschool drum exams, and the first fourteen of these passed with mainly merits and distinctions. In September 2008, Wayne Mahy Drum Tuition became DrumWorks.
2009 saw an increase of students enrolling for drum grade exams - 29 students in total, achieving a similar impressive success rate to that of 2008.
In August 2009, DrumWorks was approached by the Tech Music Schools, London, to form a partnership with Drumtech. DrumWorks is now an exclusive local agent for Drumtech, preparing people for their next level of study at Drumtech and assessing their suitability for the courses offered. For more information on the partnership, see here.
Later the same year, the DrumWorks studio had a facelift thanks to a local kids club (Verandah Kids) who needed to use the room above the studio for after-school activities. Realising that drums are not the quietest instrument, they kindly footed the bill for the room to be revamped and for professional soundproofing to be installed.
2010 saw another busy year for DrumWorks. A total of 38 students took Rockschool drum grade examinations with a record number of 13 distinctions being achieved. Two students took the grade 8 examination, passing with merit - a remarkable achievement considering they were aged 12 and 13 years of age!
DrumWorks recognised their success by awarding them prizes for outstanding achievement, one of which was donated by DrumWorks and the other by Southampton Drumzone.
Later this year, DrumWorks was approached by another school, the newly-built St Sampson's High School and weekly lessons are now offered here.