Craig Atkinson

Hello, my name is Craig Atkinson. I have been a drum teacher for 14 years and a performer for 19 years. I have personally taught over 700 pupils at some of South Africa's leading schools, including Crawford Preparatory Sandton and Dainfern College. Many of my pupils have now become full-time performers. I believe that a good teacher has a minimal drop out rate. I have had pupils who have been with me for over ten years and an average of four years on most pupils. I also own a thriving music school in South Africa with over 300 pupils enrolled each year. I am also the co-founder of a production/promotion company called JamPacked Productions. We have promoted six major international tours and festivals in South Africa over the past two years. I have traveled the world and attended and performed at numerous major music festivals with other large rock bands. I am in a fantastic network with some of the world's top touring musicians, producers, and bands. I love teaching my pupils about what it takes to become a successful musician. You can be the best musician in the world but, without the right tools, you will struggle to be noticed. It is very much about who you know and how you implement your skills within the music business sphere. I am privileged to be working full-time in the music business. If you are looking for more than just the skills, you have found the right teacher. I direct a drumming group called the "Electronic Drum Movement" and all the members in the group have been trained by me, personally. They are now exploding in the South African entertainment scene, playing at major festivals and at some of the largest corporate events on our continent. One of these members is only 16 years old and is on his way to building a full-time career in music before he's even finished school. If you have the will, I will show you the way. I have also encouraged my pupils to participate in external exams such as the Trinity Guildhall music exams. In Africa, between myself and my music school, we have the highest number of entries - averaging 60 pupils each year - for these prestigious external exams. I am proud to say that we have had a 100% pass rate in our 14 years of doing these exams. Our average exam marks are between 82% and 94%. I have also personally had my pupils place first for three years in a row now in the drum category of the nation-wide "Kids With Talent SA" competition, a high-end music competition with over 2000 participants across South Africa. I pride myself on connecting my pupils with the world's top producers and bands. If you are serious about making this your career, I'll make sure you get noticed. If you want to learn drums just for fun, that's also great. Not everyone wants to be a full-time artist. I can help you master your first drum beat in 30 minutes and I guarantee you that you will be playing along to songs within the first few weeks. Why do I teach, you may ask? Because I love being part of my pupil's journey in life. I feel that sharing my knowledge, connections and passion is my calling. I love nothing more than seeing people thrive! See you in the classroom!