Simon Boyar School of Drums and Percussion Faculty
At the Simon Boyar School of Drums and Percussion boasts a world-class faculty. There is simply no place in Westchester that provides drum and percussion education with the care, quality, and standards that we do. Our teachers are diverse and focus/specialize in different areas of study. Students are placed with the appropriate faculty member after a thorough assessment.
Simon Boyar,
Owner and Founder of the Simon Boyar School of Drums and Percussion
Simon Boyar is a world renowned percussionist, drummer, composer, producer, and educator. He is widely regarded as among the top percussionists of his generation, and he boasts a world class resume that in terms of sheer diversity is unrivaled by many is his field. He has given performances as a soloist, chamber musician, freelance percussionist, drummer, and outreach clinician across the globe to critical acclaim. An avidly sought out commissioner of new music, Simon has been called upon time and time again by elite composers to participate in the world premieres of many ground breaking works for his instrument. Simon has composed an entire catalog of marimba and percussion music. His unique brand of music has developed a global following and is performed around the world. As a producer, Boyar has been sought out by many professional touring artists for collaborative efforts resulting in the creation of cutting edge experiences in performance and sound. In the field of education, his unique method and mentoring approach is in constant demand by the world’s top conservatories and universities. He has served as a faculty member at both The Juilliard School and NYU Steinhardt and has produced successful students time and time again. He is also endorsed by leading drum and percussion companies Yamaha and Vic Firth. Simon is the owner and founder of the Simon Boyar School of Drums and Percussion in Westchester NY, an absolute game changer for music education in the area. At the Simon Boyar Drum School, Simon also provides the world's finest instruments to students and professionals as a Yamaha drums and percussion, Ludwig drums, Zildjian cymbals, Vic Firth sticks/mallets/products, Latin Percussion, and Remo drum heads/products dealer.
Paul Francis
Paul Francis has extensive experience working with some of the world’s greatest musicians. He is featured on the Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett album and subsequent PBS special “Cheek to Cheek”, and toured extensively with the duo to support that recording. Paul has also recorded and/or performed with Stevie Wonder, Jose Feliciano, Jon Faddis, David Hazeltine, Jim Belushi, Molly Ringwald, Megan Hilty, The Rockettes, Ralph Lalama, Brian Newman, Rich Little, The Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra and The Albany Symphony Orchestra, and the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra conducted by Buddy Morrow. Paul has also appeared on shows for HBO, ABC, NBC, Netflix and MTV, and is on the soundtrack for the movie “Friends with Kids” as well as “A Star is Born” featuring Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper.
Paul holds a Bachelor of Music from The Ohio State University and a Master of Music from SUNY Purchase. He has studied with musicians such as John Riley, Kenny Washington,
Jim Chapin, Jim Rupp, Joe Ong and Chad Rager. As an educator, Paul has taught all ages and playing levels including master classes at SUNY Purchase, University of Cincinnati, The Ohio State University and Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, as well as continuing to teach at his own private studio. He has also been published in Modern Drummer and Drumhead magazines. He is endorsed by Vic Firth, Sabian, Remo, and Yamaha Drums.
Elijah Duncan
Elijah Duncan is a drummer and percussionist based in Ossining, NY. Elijah began developing his foundational hand technique while studying snare drum with Simon Boyar in the early years of the Simon Boyar Drum School. At the end of high school he studied with Latin Jazz master Adam Cruz before going on to attend the Conservatory of Music at Purchase College. While there he has studied with renowned drummer Matt Wilson and learned from Legendary drummer and jazz historian Kenny Washington. As his time at Jazz School ends Elijah looks to be performing and gigging as much as possible in the area. Elijah is honored to have returned to the Simon Boyar School as a teacher to offer the musical knowledge he has accumulated so far. Coming from a large family, he has much experience with younger learners and enjoys instructing students who are motivated to improve.
Dolores Beck
Manhattan School of Music, BM degree, French horn major NYU/SUNY New Paltz, BS, Music Therapy major Music Academy of the West and Tanglewood Teaching piano privately for over 60 years. Music therapy specialist with Aspbergers, ADD, ADHD and emotionally challenged children of all ages. Performed with: American Ballet Theatre at Lincoln Center, American Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall and various Broadway Shows. Dolores loves teaching classic rock, jazz, improvisation as well as the classical repertoire.
Greg Germann
Greg Germann has been playing drums all over the world for the past 15 years and he has become one of the most respected and consistent performers on the music scene today. National tours include broadway shows “Aladdin”, “Wicked", “Grease,” and “Finding Neverland” along with a year traveling with the Big Apple Circus. He has performed with artists such as Ben Vereen, Sir Roland Hanna, Antonio Hart, Clifton Davis, John Davidson, Jimmy Heath, and Jeb Patton as well as many others. Growing up in Deer Park, Long Island he studied with Bob Leto, who used to make him sit in at the local jazz club Sonny’s Place often as a teenager. During his high school years, he attended Manhattan School of Music Prepatory division and he attended Queens college in 1995, where he studied classical percussion with Michael Lipsey and jazz with Clarence Penn, Alvester Garnett, Carl Allen, and Tommy Igoe. He has also served on the faculty at Queens College Aaron Copeland School of Music. His debut album Tales of Time features Donny Mccaslin (tenor sax) Luis Perdomo (piano), Yasushi Nakamura (bass), Chelsea Forgenie (vocals) and is being produced by his mentor and teacher Clarence Penn. This album features Greg as a bandleader and solo artist with influences ranging from Bach to Joe Henderson and Radiohead.