Corey James Gray
About
I’m an internationally touring DJ, producer, and educator with over 20 years of professional experience performing and teaching around the world. I served as the Official DJ for the NBA London Games at The O2 Arena for five years and have performed at the FIFA World Cup Finals, FIFA Women’s World Cup, a Super Bowl event, major international music festivals, and events across more than 25 countries.
As an official U.S. Department of State Music & Cultural Ambassador and Site Manager, my work has taken me around the world to teach, mentor, and work with artists and emerging talent in underserved communities.
I’ve taught everyone from complete beginners to professional DJs, with former students going on to become touring DJs and educators themselves.
Teaching Style
My teaching style is interactive, personal, and adaptive. I have foundational lesson plans that build the essential skills every DJ needs, but I don’t believe in a copy-and-paste approach to teaching.
Every student learns differently. I take the time to understand how you learn, what excites you, where you’re getting stuck, what equipment you have access to, and what you ultimately want to do with DJing. From there, I tailor the experience to you while making sure you develop a strong technical and musical foundation.
The goal isn’t to teach you to DJ like me. It’s to give you the skills, confidence, and understanding to develop your own style behind the decks.
Curriculum
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Teaching Method and Recommended Student Texts
I teach virtually using Serato DJ Pro, whether you’re starting with just a computer or already have a DJ controller or turntables. No DJ equipment is required to begin. With a computer, we can build your foundation through Serato, music organization, foundational music theory, phrasing, song structure, and the core concepts behind mixing.
If you have a controller or turntables, I demonstrate techniques and guide you through applying them on your own setup in real time. Depending on your experience and goals, we can work on beatmatching, EQing, transitions, song selection, set building, creative mixing, reading a room, and performance. As a turntablist, I can also teach scratching and turntable techniques for students interested in developing those skills.
For students interested in DJing professionally, lessons can also include career mentorship, including how to pursue gigs, present yourself professionally, build relationships, and navigate the business side of being a working DJ.
No textbook is required. We work with the music you want to play. If you’re looking to purchase or upgrade your DJ setup, I can also help you determine what equipment makes sense for your goals and budget.
Credentials & Affiliations
U.S. Department of State — Next Level | 2018–Present
Cultural Ambassador and Site Manager
NBA London Games — The O2 Arena, London | 2018–2023
Official DJ
FIFA Women’s World Cup — Lyon, France | 2019
Official DJ for the U.S. Women’s National Team pre- and post-match events for the team, organization, families, and press
Super Bowl LI — Houston, Texas | 2017
DJ for Atlanta Falcons official pre-game event
International Touring DJ & Educator | 20+ Years
Performed and taught in 25+ countries