Mike Sorrentino

I started teaching in 1989 at the Long Island Drum Center, and have continued in some fashion ever since. While my schedule is mainly filled with performing or recording, I do set aside time for a very limited number of private students. Many of my students have gone on to playing careers of their own, attended prestigious music programs at the university level, participated in all-state ensembles and more. In this day of YouTube and instantaneous information, the role of the drum teacher has changed. Aside from teaching the nuts and bolts of playing the drums, we also take on the roles of  coach, mentor, cheerleader, navigator, and (at times) therapist!  After 30+ years of teaching the instrument I have developed a keen sense of what is important to each student and how to help them progress quickly. 

My teaching studio is in Lake Ronkonkoma, NY.  Its main use is as my recording studio where I play on and engineer tracks for the artists that hire me and bands that I play with. As a result, students learn in the setting that I actually work in with fully mic'd drum kits and the latest recording technology.  If in-person lessons are not feasible, due to COVID-19 or other factors, I also offer private on lessons online through Zoom and Facetime.  Those have turned out to be fun as well as easy and convenient to schedule.

Many of my students have received high scores on all levels of NYSSMA solos on snare drum, drum set and tympani. I take great pride in preparing these pieces with my students. For more information or to schedule a lesson, click here.