ABOUT US

BE THE BEST YOU CAN BE

WHERE MUSIC IS LEARNED

AS A SHARED EXPERIENCE

The International Drum Academy (IDA) is a creative and disciplined musical environment in which drum students of all experience levels study and develop their individual drumming skills. The IDA is a club of drummers who learn music as a shared experience. A training center, where ideas are exchanged, the IDA will teach new musical skills and have old skills refined. By stressing fundamentals, reading, rudiments, knowledge of the rhythms of the world (both contemporary and folkloric), and how they all fit into the big picture of musical performance, the IDA will foster discipline, creativity, and individuality. At the IDA, a historical perspective will be stressed at all times. The goal of the International Drum Academy is to teach drumming at the highest level of musicality in order that each student has the information and technical skills to develop his or her own unique musical voice. The IDA has classes for all students at all levels of skill and interest. The IDA offers both private and group instruction.

"The purpose of the International Drum Academy

is to offer quality drum set and hand drum instruction at affordable prices"

VIDEO INTERVIEW - Arte Sonora

Michael

Lauren

Director Michael Lauren has been teaching music for over 50 years.

New Yorker Michael Lauren (b.1950) began playing the drums at the age of eight. His artistry fuses the boundaries of jazz, blues, funk, rock, and world music. Michael attended The Johns Hopkins University, The Peabody Conservatory and Berklee College of Music. He is a founding member of the world-renowned Drummers Collective NYC, where he taught for over twenty-five years. Michael was the Professor of Drum Set Studies (2003-2020 Ret.) and head of the Jazz Department (2005-2010 & 2015-2017) at the Escola Superior de Música e Artes do Espectáculo (ESMAE) in Porto, Portugal. He is currently Professor of Drum Set Studies at Escuela Superior de Música Jam Session Barcelona, España and is the founder / artistic director of The International Drum Academy Lisboa, Portugal.

Michael has performed and/or recorded with Chuck Berry, Benny Golson, Paul Anka, Tom Harrell, David Bowie, Charles Brown, Tom Jones, Darlene Love, Bill Frisell, Bob Stewart, Bob Mintzer, Milt Hinton, Ted Curson, Rick Margitza, Martha Reeves, Don Sebesky, Teo Macero, Jerry Jemmott, Kenny Davern, Mike Stern, Silje Nergaard, Jay Corre, Dena DeRose, Tutu Puoane, Robert Kraft, Cornelius Bumpus, The Drifters, The Coasters, Bobby Radcliff, Popa Chubby, Grant Green Jr, Markus Burger, Max Ionata, Hugo Lippi, Orquestra, Jazz Matosinhos, Orquestra Jazz Algarve, Jorge Costa Pinto Big Band, Quinteto Mario Santos, The Postcard Brass Band, Hugo Alves Quartet, 2 Tubas & Friends, Drums ‘n Blues, The Kyle Green Quintet and many others.

Michael has also led his own bands Bashier, Magister Ludi, The Michael Lauren All Stars and The Michael Lauren Trio. Both of The Michael Lauren

All Stars’ albums, “Once Upon A Time In Portugal” and “Old School / Fresh Jazz”, and his latest Album by The Michael Lauren Trio “Live At Mobydick Records” were not only highly praised by both Portuguese and International jazz critics, but were chosen as one of the 10 best national albums (Portugal) of 2016 and 2018 and 2022 respectively. Michael has also worked in Broadway theatre productions, in the studios of New York recording albums, jingles, industrials and was a staff drummer for the music publishing company Famous Music.

Michael is the author of seven books: Welcome To Odd Times - An Approach To Mental and Manual Dexterity For The Drum Set, The Book of Silence, Comprehending Rhythm, Rudiments and Variations For Drummers, Rhythmic Fundamentals, Compreender Ritmo and Understanding Rhythm - A Guide To Reading Music. An internationally recognized educator and clinician, Michael has written articles for Modern Drummer Magazine, The Percussive Arts Society’s magazine Percussive Notes and Score Magazine a subdivision of the PBS television series “Rock School”.

Michael endorses Yamaha drums, Zildjian cymbals and sticks, Remo drumheads, SkyGel damper pads, Protection Racket cases and Road Crew.

Michael's website

Diogo

Batalha

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Diogo Batalha, born in Lisbon, began studying music at an early age, with piano being his first instrument before switching to drums.

He had finished his Master Degree in Jazz Performance at ESMAE in Porto, and studied drums principally with Manuel Costa Reis and also participated in various workshops in Portugal.

Diogo has had classes with Michael Lauren since Michael first came to Portugal in 1998. Because of their meeting, he began regularly to go to New York in order to study privately with drum teachers Bobby Sanabria, Frank Katz, Kim Plainfield, as well as Michael Lauren. In the summer of 2002 he decided to move to NY and there he studied intensively at the Drummers Collective. Funk, Jazz, Soul, R&B, Drum&Bass, Brazilian music and Afro-Cuban rhythms are Diogo’s inspiration and strongest influences.

Diogo Batalha has played, recorded and or participated in projects with Melo D, Sam, Aura, Furia do Açucar, Mundo Complexo,, João Ventura, Cláudio Andrade, Yuri Daniel, Carlos Barreto, Black Mamba Trio, Sam the Kid, Ciro Cruz, Sadao Watanabe, Christopher Fudurich, NBC, Lisbon Swingers, Global Quartet, Tinho Marques(Tim Maia, etc.), Zoey Jones, Ena Pá 2000, Skalibans, Prince Wadada, Scott Anderson, Wanda Stuart, Papa's New Band, General D, Nuno Guerreiro, Blackout, Mico Camara Pereira, Marcelo D2, Jel, Nando, Syrup, Lena d´Agua among others. He is currently involved in several projects of different styles, from Funk to Jazz to Electronic music.

Diogo Batalha has taught at the School of Modern Jazz Seixal for over 10 years, as well as privately in his Lisbon studio. Diogo is endorsed by Evans Drumheads & is supported by Castanheira Só Music, Nike and Zuk Custom Drums.