BIOGRAPHY

Born in 1976, Adam Hay is one of the most active freelance drummers/drum teachers living in Canada, having played hundreds and hundreds of dates all over the US and Canada with Chantal Kreviazuk (Sony), Raine Maida (Sony/Our Lady Peace), Sarah Slean (Warner), Justin Rutledge (Six Shooter), Martina Sorbara (Mercury/Dragonette), Royal Wood (Dead Daisy/Six Shooter), Patricia O'Callaghan (EMI), John Barrowman (Sony UK), among countless others.

Adam Hay has appeared everywhere from live National TV (MTV, Canada AM, Mike Bullard, etc) and live Radio Shows, Awards Ceremonies, TV and Radio Commercials, Sold Out Theaters and Festivals, Music Videos, National TV Season Launch Parties, countless full length Albums, record company Showcases in the USA and Canada, minuscule cafeterias, to downtown sidewalks as a busker earlier on.

Adam's session drumming has turned up on TV and Film Soundtracks including the Farrelly Brothers film 'Fever Pitch', the HBO series 'Regenesis', the CBC series 'This is Wonderland', the CTV movie 'Playing House', the film 'The End of Silence', the Warner Music Canada soundtrack to the Food Network’s 'The Surreal Gourmet', and the TV show 'Grey's Anatomy'.

Some artists Adam has been billed alongside—on tour throughout the U.S. and Canada—include My Morning Jacket, Sarah Harmer, Hawksley Workman, The Proclaimers, Glenn Tilbrook (Squeeze), Dan Bern, Moxy Fruvous, Andy Stochansky (Ani DiFranco), Danny Michel, Starling, Dahmnait Doyle (Shaye), The Waifs, Pedestrian, Jeff Healey, Baaba Maal, Gord Downie, Matthew Good, Luke Doucet, Ron Hawkins, Ivana Santilli, Melissa McClelland, and plenty others.

He's been a session/live freelance drummer in the Toronto scene since 1996 and is a highly sought after private drum teacher (by hundreds of students of all levels and all ages), having given over 2,400 drum lessons since October 2005, and loving every minute. At one point Adam was teaching over 50 students in one-on-one lessons over four days but is scaling things down to about 35 students.

His primary areas of expertise and study include the drumming fundamentals of: Reading, Dynamic Control, Independence, Stick Control, Tempo Control, Feel, Coordination, Rudiments, Soloing, Ear Training, and Technique. Adam is very well versed in traditional Afro-Cuban forms of Son, Mambo, Salsa, Guaguanco, etc (creating his own style of Rumba Funk) and their modern application on the kit; Rock, Traditional Funk, Metal (Double Bass Playing), Snare Studies (rudimentary drumming), Playing To Click (metronome), R&B / Hip Hop, DnB (Drum 'n' Bass/Jungle),Technique, Soloing (Ostinatos), Practicing, and Jazz.

Further areas of study include: Humber Auditions, Trading Fours, Samba, World Grooves, Chart Reading, Accompanying Songs, How to Learn Songs, Odd Times, Metric Modulation, Country, Jazz Brushes, Progressive Rock, 16th Feel Rock, Reggae, Fusion, Fills/Phrasing, Afro-Cuban Phrasing, Warming Up, and Learning Methodology. Adam deeply believes in constructing a practice regimen with each student.

Some people Adam has studied with: John Cheeseman (Berklee College of Music), Jesse Capon (Berklee College of Music), David James (Humber), Daniel Barnes (Banff School of the Arts), Darren Sherer (The New Deal), Luis Orbegoso (winner of the Grand Prix de Jazz, Montreal Jazzfest), Blair Martin (Master of Cuban Percussion), Cam Warrack (Metal Drumming Master), and David Wood (Crescent School).

Adam is a very enthusiastic teacher, deeply passionate about his subject, completely dedicated to empowering students of drumming. He has a wealth of knowledge on multiple drumming styles and subjects, drumming heritage, and is all about the music. He has a positive attitude and loads of experience in the music business and is a good role model to those who are becoming more serious about their careers in music. His main goals are to continue his freelance live and session work with prominent artists, to teach drumming privately, and to teach drumming in clinics all over the world.

He's worked in Post Audio as an engineer (completing Radio and TV commercials, demos and full length albums), a Production Assistant and Runner on Film sets, and a freelance editor. He’s written four novels, has a Degree in Philosophy and has traveled in Europe, South America, North America, and West Africa.

Adam Hay plays Vic Firth sticks exclusively and was accepted into Vic Firth's Education Program as an endorser in March 2009. He endorses Evans Drumheads and plays Yamaha Drums.