ABOUT US
Our Mission
To equip students to be able to perform in ensembles, bands, or as solo artists both live and in the studio. Students who work through our program will have the necessary skills, expertise and experience to advance into university programs or begin performing as a professional musician.
Brad Novak - Drums/Percussion
Brad Novak is a performer/educator based in Traverse City, MI. His performance credits include: The Accidentals, Joe Welsh, Sommerson, The Amanda Waggener Band, Kristine Seeley, and Dominic Fortuna, Abe Laboriel, Sr., John Carlson, Justo Almario, Rene Ladesma, Paul Langford, Joe Horness, Buddy Rich alumni Rick Culver, and his current project Tuesday Radio.
Brad is also the owner/operator of The Beat Lab, an educational facility that educates over 60 students each week in the area of drums and percussion. He is the percussion instructor for the Grand Traverse Area Catholic Schools and is an instructor of drums and percussion for Northwestern Michigan College.
Brad has been playing drums and percussion for over 25 years. In that time he has studied with Larry Finn at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. He also studied with Dave Zerbe and Robert Hohner at Central Michigan University.
Brad is on the Vic Firth Education team, a Soultone artist, and a member of the Hudson Music Education Team.
Brad is also the owner/operator of The Beat Lab, an educational facility that educates over 60 students each week in the area of drums and percussion. He is the percussion instructor for the Grand Traverse Area Catholic Schools and is an instructor of drums and percussion for Northwestern Michigan College.
Brad has been playing drums and percussion for over 25 years. In that time he has studied with Larry Finn at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. He also studied with Dave Zerbe and Robert Hohner at Central Michigan University.
Brad is on the Vic Firth Education team, a Soultone artist, and a member of the Hudson Music Education Team.
Denny Richards
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Denny Richards brings a wide variety of musical experiences to The Beat Lab, with nearly 40 years of experience playing in groups ranging from symphonic music to jazz, rock, blues, R&B, funk, jamband, Americana, folk, country, and more.
Aside from being a well known performing electric bassist and vocalist, Denny has also worked as a front of house engineer for various festivals and other venues, is a seasoned session musician and producer, and has given lessons to everyone from beginners to touring musicians. He has mentored a number of aspiring student who went on to secure careers as professional musicians. His current project is as the bass player and band leader for the Soul/Americana/New Retro band 1000 Watt Prophets, as well as fill in gigs in and around Traverse City, MI. Denny was a standout performer at both Cadillac High School and at Central Michigan University, and studied extended Music Theory and Production with professional drummer and producer Cliff Davies, among others. |
Will Harris
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No matter their genre of choice, music lovers in Northern Michigan are likely acquainted with the versatile drums and percussion of Will Harris. He’s lent his precise percussives to a wide range of performances, including syncopated stylings with Wessel “Warmdaddy” Anderson, Phil Kuehn, Michele Ramo, Don Julin, and The Accidentals. You may have even spotted him performing with the Traverse City Symphony Orchestra.
Will holds a BA in Jazz Studies from Western Michigan University, where he studied under Keith Hall, Judy Moonert, Jamey Haddad, and Billy Hart. In the tradition of his teachers, he’s actively involved in sharing music through teaching as well as performance. He’s currently offering instruction at the Beat Lab, and provides support to various band programs in Northern Michigan. In 2018, he joined Jeff Haas’s Building Bridges program, using music to address bullying and other tough issues in elementary and middle schools. He also has experience working with special populations, making music accessible to a range of students of varying abilities. Will is an active member of the The Lucas Paul Band, The Pocket, The Ole’ Microtones and Blake Elliot and the Robinson Affair. |
