Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandon Burkhalter.
Brandon, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I began playing the drums at age 11, studying music all throughout school and for four years privately with Rich Malloy, Jon Hussey, Steve Pruitt, Brian Ferguson, and John Blackwell (Prince, Luther Vandross, Justin Timberlake), as well as at the Berklee College of Music for their 5-Week summer performance intensive, to which I received a full-ride scholarship, and a $9,000 scholarship to study at the school full time. As an adolescent, I was accepted into the Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, where I studied for 1 year before venturing further to pursue bands outside of school – one of those being a band called Polyphia, who would go on to sign with Equal Vision Records and the Royal Division management group. With Polyphia, I recorded two studio albums (“Muse”, Renaissance”), two EP’s (“Resurrect”, “Inspire”) and toured all over North America with bands such as August Burns Red, Every Time I Die, Dance Gavin Dance, Stick To Your Guns, and many more. At age 25, I am now an independent artist writing my own records, as well as a freelance session drummer and educator.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Has it been a smooth road? No. I know I speak for many more than myself when I say that an entrepreneur’s never-ending path to success is often riddled with many challenges. One of the more recent that I’ve faced has been re-establishing myself as an independent musician again after spending many years playing with groups, or other institutions. Learning how to shoot video, record audio, and market my drumming as a service to offer others has been a refreshing and inspiring challenge, that has helped me come into my own musically and professionally in a way more rewarding than ever before.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Brandon Burkhalter Music – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I would consider my specialty to be my musical versatility; I typically work within the rock/metal genres, and always have something “outside of the box” or interesting from a technical standpoint to offer clients and students. Within the metal niche especially, many musicians do not know how to read music, play other styles or how to take their music or drumming to the next level – I believe that all of these things require a solid foundation of reading, technique, and understanding that normally only schools provide. I feel capable in my abilities as a metal drummer, as well as many other styles, and I feel like this is what sets me apart and serves as my advantage in my field.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
My plans for the near future, as of right now, are to finish the solo material that I’ve been writing and release it online to help market drumming educational materials – I’m excited to be expanding my business model in such a way that will allow for residual income outside of the work I do for session clients and students. Outside of that, I hope to assemble a live band to perform this material in the future as well, to bring it from the internet to real life!
Pricing:
- Session recording – $100 a song (typically), In-Studio
- Drum Lessons – $40 for 45 minutes
Contact Info:
- Email: bb.drum.lessons@gmail.com
Image Credit:
Rafael Gamez
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