Lessons · 1-to-1, small group and band
Percussion lessons in Singapore
Rhythm, colour and drive, from snare drum to marimba.
Learn percussion 1-to-1, in a small group with family or friends, or in the Band Experience, at TWA in Singapore’s East. Beginners of every age are welcome.
- Ways to learn
- 1-to-1, group or band
- 1-to-1 from
- $120 a lesson
Your path
Three ways to learn percussion
Each way teaches something different. Choose one, or combine them: Band Experience members get 5% off private lessons.
1-to-1 percussion lessons (PSX)
In our Private Studio eXperience (PSX), it’s just you and your teacher, planned around your goals, your pace and your week.
For beginners
- Rhythm and pulse
- Count, subdivide and keep steady time: the core of every percussionist.
- Snare technique
- Grip, strokes and rudiments on the snare drum and practice pad.
- Mallets
- Read and play melodies on xylophone, glockenspiel and marimba.
- Around the section
- Timpani, bass drum, cymbals and auxiliary percussion, with exam or performance preparation if you wish.
For returning players
- Refresh your technique
- Rebuild good percussion habits and fix the ones that crept in while you were away.
- Grow your playing
- Rudiments at speed, mallet reading and timpani tuning.
- Sight-reading
- Read new music confidently, so pieces and band parts come together faster.
- Music you’ve always wanted to play
- Band classics, solos and popular music, chosen with your teacher.
For advanced players
- Graded exams
- ABRSM and Trinity syllabus pieces, scales, aural tests and sight-reading, up to the higher grades.
- DSA and auditions
- Audition pieces and mock auditions for DSA music, school ensembles and youth bands.
- Advanced technique
- Four-mallet marimba, timpani technique and multi-percussion set-ups.
- Performance
- Solo repertoire and stagecraft, so you play with confidence and expression.
60-minute lessons, booked weekly, fortnightly or intensively before an exam or performance.
From $120
a lesson, or 10 lessons (9 paid + 1 free) from $964, plus $5 admin fee. Fees rise with grade.
Book a trial lesson About private lessonsPercussion with family or friends (PSX Family)
Two or three of you in one lesson with one teacher: parent and child, siblings, partners or friends.
For beginners
- Rhythm
- Rhythm, grip and rudiments, learned side by side, with one teacher for your group.
- Duets and trios
- Play percussion parts together from early on, so practice feels like making music.
- Listening together
- Keep time and blend with each other, the first steps of ensemble playing.
- One shared plan
- Set goals as a group and practise together at home between lessons.
For returning players
- Brush up together
- Refresh your percussion basics side by side, at a pace that suits the group.
- Parts for each of you
- Mixed levels are fine: your teacher sets parts that suit each player.
- Duets and trios
- Play together from the first lesson, so practice feels like making music.
- A shared goal
- Prepare a piece to play together for family and friends.
For advanced players
- Chamber music
- Advanced duets and trios for 2–3 players.
- Blend and tuning
- Match tone, tuning and dynamics so you sound like one group.
- Leading and following
- Cue entries, shape phrases and listen across the group.
- Performing together
- Prepare pieces to perform, for an audience or an exam.
10 × 60-minute lessons (9 paid + 1 free) for 2–3 learners, booked around your group’s schedule.
From $1,446
for 2 learners, or $1,735 for 3 (PSX60 Family, 10 × 60-minute lessons). You pay for 9 lessons; the 10th is free.
Ask about group lessons About PSX FamilyPercussion in the Band Experience
Play in a wind band for every age, rehearsing on alternate Saturdays and performing through the year.
For beginners
- Month 1: instrument basics
- Hold, assemble and care for your percussion, and find your first sounds.
- Month 2: reading music
- Basic note and rhythm reading, one step at a time.
- Month 3: your first songs
- Play a few simple songs together as a band.
- Then the main band
- Love it? Join the main band and play through the year.
For returning players
- Your role in the band
- Percussion drives the band’s rhythm and adds colour, from snare and timpani to mallets.
- Reading your part
- Read your own part and follow the conductor, from the first rehearsal.
- Sectionals and full band
- Focused sessions with the percussion section, then full-band rehearsals that bring it together.
- Performing
- Stage presence and the confidence of performing with the whole band in front of an audience.
For advanced players
- Lead your section
- Take on harder and solo parts in the percussion section.
- Perform without instructors
- Take the stage on your own for more of a challenge.
- Ensemble skills
- Balance, tuning and listening across the whole band.
- Exams alongside
- Add 1-to-1 lessons for graded exams, with 5% off PSX as a member.
Your 2027 stages
- Sentosa PerformanceOutdoors on Sentosa
- Outdoor PerformanceDate and place to be confirmed
- Year-End Finale ConcertIndoors, venue to be announced
Perform at your own pace. For a stress-free stage, our instructors can play alongside you at some concerts; for more of a challenge, perform without them. It’s up to what you’re comfortable with and your goals.
New to music? Start with the 3-month Beginner Band: instrument basics, reading music and your first songs. Played before? Join the main band after a free consultation.
$138
a month, Saturdays 2–4 pm. No fees in December.
Join the band About the Band ExperienceAll ages · All levels
Percussion lessons for every age
Beginner, intermediate or advanced, from schoolchildren to retirees: everyone learns side by side at TWA.
- Children and teens
- ABRSM and Trinity graded exams and DSA music preparation, taught by faculty with music degrees from NAFA, NIE, the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory and Kansas State University, several of whom train school bands. Meet the teachers
- Adults
- Something casual after work, or a way back to your secondary school band days. Lessons fit around your schedule, and the band rehearses on Saturday afternoons.
- Seniors
- We go at your pace, so there’s no need to worry about being slow. Playing percussion keeps hands and fingers moving and coordinated, and learning music keeps the mind active. Music and healthy ageing
Instrument rental · Studio
Rent and practise
Your own percussion
Many percussionists start at home with a practice pad and sticks; your teacher will advise you on what to get.
Practise in our studio
A sound-treated room at Centropod@Changi for up to 6 people, open daily 9 am–9 pm. Bring your instrument; the drum set, piano and amplifiers come at no extra charge.
- Non-peak, 2+ hours
- $20an hour
- Peak, 2+ hours
- $30an hour
Good to know
Percussion lesson questions
Which way of learning percussion is right for me?
Choose 1-to-1 lessons to learn at your own pace or prepare for exams, a small group to learn with family or friends, or the Band Experience to play with others and perform. Many learners combine private lessons with the band.
Do I need my own percussion?
Many percussionists start at home with a practice pad and sticks; your teacher will advise you on what to get.
Can my child prepare for ABRSM, Trinity or DSA on percussion?
Yes. 1-to-1 lessons can prepare for ABRSM and Trinity graded exams and DSA music auditions, planned with your teacher.
I’m an adult beginner. Is it too late to learn percussion?
Not at all. Many of our learners start as adults or come back after years away. Lessons fit around your work schedule, and you set the pace.
Can seniors learn percussion?
Yes. We go at your pace, so there’s no need to worry about being slow. Learning an instrument keeps your hands coordinated and your mind active, and it’s a friendly way to meet people.
Where are lessons held?
Private and small-group lessons are at the TWA studio, #02-48 Centropod@Changi, 80 Changi Road, Singapore 419715.
Percussion photo at the top of the page by Laura Rivera on Unsplash.
Let’s play together