Damien has been a Percussionist in the London production of The Lion King musical since 2009 - playing nearly 40 instruments throughout the show. He studied at the Royal Academy of Music, London. He has been playing and teaching Samba drumming for over 25 years. Since his first trip to Brazil in the year 2000, Damien has returned regularly and has rehearsed, performed and paraded in the Rio Carnaval with many Samba schools, including Estacio de Sá, Acadêmicos do Salgueiro, and Grande Rio, all well-renowned Schools of Samba. He learnt not just about the musical aspects of samba drumming but how to teach the rhythms authentically, maintain and tune the instrument, and prepare the drummers for Carnival parades. His first Notting Hill Carnival was in 1998, and from then, he paraded every year playing the drums with the Paraiso School of Samba.
From 2004 to 2009, he took charge of the Paraiso School of Samba drummers as a Mestre de Bateria (Drum Master). Damien introduced hundreds of people to traditional Brazilian samba drumming at weekly workshops in London, preparing them to participate in the annual Notting Hill. He has given Samba drumming workshops to the BBC Latin American Week at Maida Vale Studios South Bank Centre; Royal College of Music; Guildhall School of Music and Drama; Trinity Laban; Royal Opera House Day of Percussion BBC Symphony Orchestra; Eaton College (Prince Harry and Prince William’s former school).
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