About Hands-On Music
HANDS-ON MUSIC was founded and developed by Rob Zollman. Our mission is to offer music-making opportunities to anyone regardless of age and ability. Music belongs to everyone and everyone can make music. It’s about singing out loud and not being told to just move your lips. It’s about making a joyful sound, banging a drum, picking up an instrument regardless of your age, because music lives in your soul. Like language, music can be learned and taught with encouragement and positivity — without stress.
Hands-On Music is drum circles and interactive playing. It’s community outreach, children’s programs, private lessons, classes, ensembles and jams. Hands-On Music allows the musician in you to find your voice.
A PROFESSIONAL SET AND HAND DRUMMER and percussionist for over 40 years, Rob Zollman regularly performs jazz, blues, rock, classical, Brazilian and other ethnic music. Rob teaches in his Brandon, Vermont studio and at nearby Otter Valley Union High School. He facilitates music-making events throughout New England. Previously Rob founded and directed Music Learning Centers of the Main Line, a music school outside of Philadelphia, before relocating to Vermont in 2003.
Rob has a Bachelor of Music in percussion from University of the Arts where he studied with Philadelphia Orchestra principal percussionist Michael Bookspan. He later trained with renown drum circle facilitators Arthur Hull and Christine Stevens.
Rob also studied with noted music learning theorists Dr. Edwin E. Gordon and Christopher Azzara, who were major influences in the development of his Whole Music Learning concept and philosophy. In 2002 Rob published Whole Music Drumming, his unique, musical approach to learning to play drums and percussion. The book/CD remain the backbone for his teaching practice.
Rob’s past students include Ari Hoenig (Ari Hoenig Trio), Gene Jackson (Herbie Hancock), Ken Every (Jacksonville Symphony), Mike Shapiro (Flora Purim) and Marc McDuff (touring show drummer).