Ten teenage beat makers rocked Lighthouse on Sunday as the arts centre hosted the Zildjian Young Drummer of the Year contest.
The beat contenders were judged by a stellar panel the featured Taylor Swift, Rod Stewart, and Snow Patrol drummer Ash Soan, Ben Thomas (Rag ‘N’ Bone Man), Rob Rolfe (Enter Shikari) and 2018 winner JJ Wallace who has since played with Jorja Smith and Celeste.
“It was a big success,” says founder Mike Dolbear. “Huge congratulations to all the finalists, they were incredible and a massive thank you to our judges for their support.
The contest was won by 16-year-old Londoner, Ellis Gates who says not winning last year gave him him the motivation to succeed this year and hopes to go on study music in New York.
“The competition was an amazing experience, just as it was last year,” he says. “I met some brilliant drummers, and we connected straight away backstage because of our shared love for music.
“This year I felt more prepared, and when I performed my solo, I felt calm and focused. Winning was a huge honour and something I’m very grateful for. It has encouraged me to keep working hard and continue developing as a musician.”
Ellis has been playing drums since his nan gave him a toy drum kit from Early Learning Centre when he was a year old. By the time he was two he was trying to beatbox, following Fleetwood Mac’s The Chain – the Formula One theme. He started formal drum lessons aged six and attends the Julian Joseph Jazz Academy.
“I feel very fortunate to have found something I love so much at a young age. I just want to keep learning, improving, and making the most of every opportunity that comes my way.”
The ten finalists, all 16 or under, each play one of three kits arranged onstage. They draw lots for the running order on the morning of the final and are then isolated from each other’s performances with no access to phones or social media. Each finalist faces three challenges – a two-minute drum solo, followed by their response to an original track recorded for the final, before joining a band on stage and playing another piece of music they will have heard for the first time that day.
Each finalist completed three sections – a solo, playing along to a backing track they had been sent last month, and performing with a band playing an original piece they heard for the first time on the day.
The judges were impressed by the standard and Rob Rolfe, from hit rock band Enter Shakira, said: “Every single one of them showed incredible talent and passion for the drum kit. They were truly inspiring and I can’t wait to see what great music they go on to create and be a part of.”
Thoughts echoed by Ben Thomas, who plays with urban blues singer Rag N Bone Man, who said the contest was: “an incredible show of passion, dedication and ability from the finalists. The level they’re working at is simply outstanding. No doubt they’ll all have very bright futures in music.”
The competition, now in its 24th year, has been held at Lighthouse since 2023. Its partnership with Zildjian, the world’s oldest manufacturer of musical instruments founded in Constantinople in 1623, has been instrumental in taking Young Drummer of the Year to the global stage. Last year saw the first US final with a new final for the DACH Region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) being staged this year and further expansion in the pipeline.
(NC)
