Despite the British weather giving us the worst in wintry weather conditions for the past 20 years parents and supporters braved the elements to attend the prestigious Young Drummer of the Year event which was held at the Oakengates Theatre in Telford. Bearing in mind weather conditions, they filled this 700 seater venue comfortably.

Young Drummer of the Year, now in its 7th year, has become an institution amongst up-coming drummers and has certainly giving them a platform and outlet to stage their talent. The organisers have toiled selflessly to make sure this event happens year on year and it has been a passion driven event and a real labour of love and, as a result, the drumming community has grown richer.

Up until now, this event has been staged at the Royal Spa Theatre in Leamington Spa, but this year moved to the Oakengates Theatre in Telford, Shropshire, an obvious choice to tie into their new key sponsors, Telford Culture Zone, Telford & Wrekin Music and Foretel.

The musical instrument industry also plays a big part with equipment this year being provided by Pearl Drums, Paiste Cymbals, Evans drumheads and Baskey with the industry represented by Samantha Slater (Drummer magazine), Kevin Morris (DW), Mark De Cloedt (Pearl Europe), Ron Fry (Hudson Music) and drummers Ian Palmer, Jason Bowld and James Hester amongst others.

Mike and Gerry were the MC’s and began by thanking all sponsors and proceeded to introduce the judging panel who were made up of professionals from all walks of the music industry: Bob Henrit (Musician and Music Critic), Ralph Salmins (Session Great – Robbie Williams/Van Morrison), Troy Miller (Session Great – Amy Winehouse/Mark Ronson), Omar Abidi (Fightstar), Cherisse Osei (Mika), Bob Knight (Musical Director – Charlotte Church) and Ade Holbrooke (Music Motivator)

The disciplines for each finalist were explained; the format of the show was in two halves with five finalists playing in the first half and five in the second. During each break to allow for the equipment to be changed, the judges would call in each of the finalists to access their attitude and approach to their performances.

Disciplines for the finalists were:

• A solo composed for the event

• A set piece given to them one month before the event to be learnt with their own drumming interpretation

• An improvised piece played to them on the morning of the event

It has to be said that the standards were astoundingly high on all counts - precision, dynamics, energy, groove, feel and individual showmanship and the audience experienced drumming from so many genres - rock, metal, jazz, funk and drum ‘n’ bass - showing off the players maturity at this early level.

Josh Campbell (Cumbria)

Undeterred as the opening finalist, Josh had to set precedence for all his fellow finalists. A rock/metal attached to his blasting solo performance. With a solid start and positive ending subtly weaving through different time signatures, good strong bass drum rooting his accents, it certainly caught the attention of an anxious audience. His set piece introduced guitarist Rami Sherington and bassist Tom Wilson who would be accompanying all the finalists. This piece was well prepared by Josh and performed well but just a little clinical in his approach. However, his improvised piece came alive when using the power of his listening instincts to drive the track. It’s a tough spot opening the show but he made a good impression with his solid performance.

Gareth Owen (Scotland)

Gareth put in an equally strong solo performance injecting a funk vibe with excellent content and good use of the whole kit. Tight and precision snare drum work with fluid composition meant he carried himself forward admirably. Playing with the band with his set piece, his performance flowed smoothly.

As he entered the improvisation section, his ability to read the passages and breaks was impressive and so was his approach to the dynamics – a performance to be proud of. Well done and well prepared.

Shannon Kilarney (Solihull)

The fourteen year old played a great solo although it was a little pushy in places but was suitably impressive and he managed to hold the energy of his solo. I was also impressed with his level of sensitivity when grooving to his set piece. Time will give him more technical vocabulary but his sense of rhythm has to be applauded at such a tender age. The improvised piece showed great understanding of the navigation of the track bearing in mind that all finalists had only heard the tracks a few hours before. The impression he left was that he made the best of the skills he had – I wouldn’t be surprised to see him return next year.

Lewis O’Neill (Cheshire)

With a quiet dedication to his drum tutor Chris Brown, Lewis executed his solo with confidence, with rudimentary interludes and good presence – a concise performance bringing all his learning experience to the fore. It was a well prepared, sharp and even performance which could have been enhanced with a little more attention to the timing elements. There was good energy from the track with even dynamics that made it feel good. The improvisational piece came over as a little bit of a struggle and this would have served him better had he made more eye contact with his fellow musicians and added the dynamics from the previous track. This was a good experience for Lewis and this will provide a good learning curve for his playing.

David Davis (Kent)

It was certainly clear that David loves being behind the kit as he presented his solo with an R&B vibe. His two minute solo contained a blend of grooving patterns interspersed with a good use of gospel chops and it was evident that his drumming influences had made an impression when composing his solo. His snare drum patterns were even and delivered with clarity – a good rounded piece. His set piece had a positive beginning but although his grooving approach was good, I would have liked to have seen him complimenting the groove a little more rather than the input of hard fills. His improvisation skills were sharp as he executed the piece confidently but moving on further into the track there was an apprehension and I felt that David held back and threw himself in safe mode. His musical instincts will develop over time but more importantly, he has a good feel for the instrument.

Richard Rayner (Chelmsford)

At the age 14, Richard sits behind the kit a little bolder in his personal appearance than last year with the distinctive Mohican hair. Richard qualified as a finalist for the 2008 event and his performance was a marked improvement in each aspect - context, precision, control and personality. His dynamic approach to his solo made a definite impression on his solo presentation, controlling the texture and intensity of his content made it conversational. His interpretation of his set piece was driven by a smooth and even sense of musicality with a conscious effort to deliver the piece as a band – certainly an impressive execution. His improvised set-piece required spontaneity and to listen intently whilst holding down the groove only added to his impressive performance. To hold this together at such a tender age is simply remarkable.

Nick Ross (Worcestershire)

Another finalist from the 2008 event returned for another shot at the title. His drum solo piece consisted of powerful and strong phrasing with great use of double kick drum pedals. He had a clear concept and ease expressing his rhythms with a tribal feel and directing the energy of his dynamics to keep everyone alerted to his performance. As he entered his set piece, he stuck pretty close to the rhythm of the bass lines putting him in charge of the groove – well done! The improvised piece, was well executed with dotted timing hiccups, but overall a thumbs up! Nick has surely entered the category of ‘watch this space’; one to watch.

JR Windsor (Derby)

With the support of the members of his band in the audience, JR drove his solo with a clear purpose with hard fills and solid bass drum work. Throwing in showmanship to stamp his personality, he introduced rock stick twirls to add to his visual statement and flamboyancy – all in all, a rounded performance. When grooving with the band, his approach was solid with good precision but some light and shade fills and phrasing would have allowed the whole track to breathe a little easier. Taking a look at his improvisational skills there was good anticipation of the breaks.

Robert Hall (Llandudno)

A long wait but eager to make his mark, Robert took to the stage and took a steady approach to his solo piece. There was great cymbal work in articulation and accents although he was a little apprehensive in his execution of some parts. Grooving with the band, you could see that he had a great love for music as he was a little more relaxed with his pre-arranged parts and he played with good phrasing and generally it felt good. The improvised piece had his concentration back keeping his ears alerted to the changing sections and breaks although he was a little stiff in his timing in parts. He had a great feel for the kit and has great hands which in time will develop – a competent performance overall.

Segun Akinola (Luton)

Mike Dolbear read Segun’s account of himself and was suitably impressed with his positive attitude. His solo incorporated solid but loose grooves with a marching band feel in places leaving him room to inject an unexpected humour by him taking out a book ‘Drumming for Dummies’ and turning the pages whilst still soloing – a cheeky move but his unexpected wit caught the audience laughter. His set piece was delivered with a tight precision but somehow I was wishing for more of that personality he delivered in his solo, for continuity more than anything. However, his ability to work as a unit was more than proficient and that became evident when he locked into the bass player in the improvised piece – a cohesive performance and he certainly proved he has the mindset to approach a career in music.

As the judges adjourned to make their final decision, last year’s winner George Barnett took to the stage to give his performance. George has had an eventful time since taking last year’s crown such as opening up for Drummer Live, Music Live and taking the support slot for Jojo Mayer’s run of dates in the U.K.

His performance was an explosive demo of grooves cleverly composed performed to an equally ingeniously edited track. His showcase has elevated him to another platform of musical expression and this learning experience has really transformed his performance. He has been a glittering example and more importantly proved how this competition can really reward the winner of ‘Young Drummer of the Year’.

The stage was cleared and prepared for the all important announcement - Paul Davis from Telford Culture Zone announced the results and an elated and surprised Richard Rayner emerged as the winner of ‘Young Drummer of the Year’ 2009. Elated and visually surprised he stepped up to collect his award to rapturous applause.

To get an insight to their decision, the judges were asked for their final conclusions:

"Given that all the guys could solo well, otherwise they wouldn’t have made it into the final, Richard was more prepared than the others. He had worked hard on the compulsory pieces and only he, and one other, had taken the time to sketch out a part for the second piece which they had only been presented with that morning. He made eye contact with the musicians he was playing with and was able to feed from them. And he made it blindingly obvious to the audience he was having a good time. Job done!! The key element was: PREPARATION" – Bob Henrit (Musician and Music Critic)

"I was impressed with Richard''s overall approach to the drums and, more importantly, the music. Richard was listening intently to the other musicians and was blending with them beautifully. He was hitting like a mature player, giving the correct weight and feel to the backbeats which made him sound like a seasoned drummer. His time, feel, groove, fills, balance and overall sound were without a doubt very high quality. His ability to strike the instrument with authority and ability to play the memorised tune accurately were also main factors that made him the best drummer of the day." – Ralph Salmins (Session Great – Robbie Williams/Van Morrison)

"Ultimately, the key to being a great drummer lies in the responsibility of being a good musician. Out of the 10 finalists, Richard emerged as a sensitive musician who paid attention to feel and playing for the music. As a soloist, he had flare and showed confidence without any sign of arrogance. All the finalists show amazing potential if they persist and keep the zeal which they ALL share. I really enjoyed the day, so thanks to everyone!" – Troy Miller (Session Great – Amy Winehouse/Mark Ronson)

"For me, what made him stand out from the crowd was his attitude, and his all round ability and proficiency. There were other guys there that were better than him in certain areas, but he was an all rounder with a great head on his shoulders that will see him go far, as long as he keeps that level headed attitude." – Omar Abidi (Fightstar)

"I thought the overall standard was very good and I particularly enjoyed the different stylistic approaches to the song the guys got in advance. For me it was very close between 2 drummers and Richard just edged it overall. My main criteria were feel, pocket, musicianship and communication. Richard showed deep pockets, excellent dynamic & stick control, great communication both with the audience and band members and it ''felt'' great. He looked like he was enjoying it too!" – Bob Knight (Musical Director – Charlotte Church)

"Richard had all the elements of a great musician. He had an amazing groove, feel and sense of time and his energy was unbelievable! He communicated with the other two musicians on stage, led them and even made them up their game! Richard has a very bright future ahead of him & I wish him the best of luck!" – Cherisse Osei (Mika)

"There was no question that Richard along with the other finalists had the playing ability to stand on the stage as a potential winner of The Young Drummer of the Year 2009. He did however have an equally striking personality which certainly grabbed everyone’s attention both on stage and during the interview process. His feel and dynamics during his solo and the tracks with the musicians were evident throughout his performance and it is clear that on this, his 3rd time as a finalist, he has the determination and dedication needed for a career in the music industry." – Ade Holbrooke (Musical Motivator)

I approached Richard Rayner after the event to throw him a few questions about holding this year’s winning torch.

What''s it like to win Young ‘Drummer of the Year’?

It’s been hectic - was up at 2.30 yesterday to go on BBC news. Absolutely loving it! Winning YDOTY is the total sum of all the practice and work that I have put in . I am really thankful for the help and support that has been given to me by Mike, Gerry and all the team and judges. All the comments and messages that I have received since winning have been fantastic. I am really excited about the year ahead.

This is your 2nd attempt - what did you learn from the competition the first time round?

It’s actually my 3rd attempt at YDOTY this year. When Mike and Gerry talk about every one of the finalists being winners, it’s true. Although I did not win the last 2 years, I came away learning many new things from the other contestants (all of these guys are really good) and by being involved in such a professional environment. You really do meet some great people. Once you have gone through it, you really look forward to the next year.

What is your recommendation for anyone thinking of entering the competition next year?

My recommendation for anyone entering the competition would be to give yourself the best chance of selection by taking your time to submit a good entry. If you are successful, take time to enjoy the day and the company. Be yourself in your playing style and play to your strengths. And finally understand what the format of the day is about and practice, practice, practice!

The last word is from Mike Dolbear himself;

"There is always so much hard work that goes into this event from a lot of people and what I have enjoyed the most is how the industry and parents all have pulled together to support our young up and coming drumming talent , I am very proud of the way that the finalists always support each other and the talent we have in the UK so all I want is for this to continue and see more young people playing the drums and enjoying the joys that playing brings." – Mike Dolbear

Young Drummer would like to thank the following companies for contributing to the goodie bag and their support.

Pearl drums

Paiste cymbals

Evans heads

Baskey accesories

Remo heads

Protection Racket cases

Vic Firth sticks

Pro Mark sticks

Wincent sticks

Regal Tip sticks

Aquarian heads

Rhythmtech percussion and accesories

Meinl cymabsl and percussion

Roland electronics

For more information: www.youngdrummeroftheyear.co.uk

Review Report: Jerome Marcus