Westlake Music Academy: Music Lessons in Westlake, Bay Village & Rocky River OH

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Paul Stranahan, Percussion

Paul Stranahan has been performing and teaching professionally for over 30 years. He earned his bachelor’s in commercial arts with a focus on percussion from Capital University. Paul teaches drum set, snare drum, and mallet instruments. He stresses not just the importance of practice, but how to practice, which can be applied to all aspects of learning. 

Paul has proven extremely eclectic, playing in various types of bands including rock, blues, funk, jazz, big band, fusion, metal, reggae, country, orchestral, punk, gospel, and Latin. He has led his own groups such as the modern jazz Paul Stranahan Trio, the Avant/fusion band PSI Paul Stranahan's Insomnia, and he currently co-leads with Tim Mirth the experimental group Night Terrors. Abstract Logix, a progressive instrumental magazine, said of Paul, "As a drummer leading an ensemble with self-penned compositions, Paul is occupying a mantle that few can approach." A career highlight for Paul was when his trio Red Side Visible (an Avant/metal group that Paul plays drums in and composes for) was one of four American bands out of hundreds of applicants that were selected to perform in Belfort, France at Festival International de Musique Universitaire (FIMU). He also has a double CD release titled Gong and Singing Bowl Improvisations on the Infinite Number of Sounds Label, as well as a newer self-release solo recording, Journey to Planet Gong.