Centre for Young Musicians

Percussion
Head of Department - Tony Maloney
Tony started to play drums at the age of 7 in the local Salvation Army band and at 15 was playing in the LSSO.

Tony studied at Trinity College of Music under Louis Pocock and Mike Skinner, obtaining an LRAM in 1972. Always interested in all aspects of percussion playing, he has played kit in many bands, percussion in West End shows and with world music band, Incantation. He has at the same time always played as a freelance orchestral percussion and timpani player.

Tony has been teaching since 1973, for the ILEA, for schools in Kent and Surrey and at CYM since 1980, becoming Head of Percussion in 1992.

The Percussion Department at CYM is situated on its own site at Johanna School; a few minutes walk from Morley College. This offers the advantage of being all under one roof and having the space to spread out on a Saturday.

All percussion students play in at least one of the five Percussion Ensembles, which all perform at the Percussion Day held each year in the Summer Term. The ensembles play a wide variety of music including arrangements by tutors Tony Maloney and Dave Gonella.

Percussion students are also involved in cross department activities such as CYM Symphony Orchestra, Wind Orchestra, Concert Band, Training band, Dance Band and Jazz Ensembles.

Most students have an individual lesson, all benefiting from the differing specialisms of the tutors and covering all aspects of percussion from orchestral techniques (including timpani) through to kit work.

Tutors
Click here for a list of tutors within the department.