Beat Factor Samba School

Coming in June 2026

MAKE MUSIC DAY PROGRAM

EVENT: Saturday 20 June, 2026

Free Drum Performance & Workshop from Beat Factor

Wyndham Cultural Centre, Werribee

This event is supported by Wyndham City through the 2026 Make Music Day Grant.

Don’t have any experience? Try our class Free for anyone wanting to have a go.

1.00pm to 1.25 pm (Free Percussion Performance, previewing new works from upcoming EP CD)

1.25pm to 1.30pm (Junior Drum Students performance from Beat Factor Music Academy)

1.30pm to 2.30pm (Open Free Samba Drum workshop)

Limited spaces available for the workshop, places will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Registrations required if you would like to hold a spot for you. info@beatfactormusic.com

Some photos of our last Samba Workshop:

Community workshop. Above Photos from Westend Photography.

Kids Samba School Workshop

Bookings through Beatfactor Music: info@beatfactormusic.com

Our Classes:

Beat Factor Samba School. Begin your Samba drumming journey while immersing yourself in Brazilian/Samba percussion and culture.

Learn the technical basics of the big low sound of the Surdo, rattling sound of the Caixa, the sharp percussive sound of Tamborims, and the melodic sounds of the agogo bells. Join us and sample a few specific playing styles in our free Introduction class – the perfect starting ground for your Samba School journey. The program will divided into three time periods:

1.00pm to 1.25pm – Rod will be previewing new works from his upcoming EP CD- ‘Cajon Blue’
1.25pm to 1.30pm -Junior Drum Students performance from Beat Factor Music Academy-‘Latin March’.
1.30pm to 2.30pm – Open Free Samba Drum workshop.
Limited spaces available for the workshop, places will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Registrations required if you would like to hold a spot for you. info@beatfactormusic.com

Our Samba drumming workshops introduce the instruments and rhythms of Brazilian carnival music. Participants form a Samba ensemble using a range of traditional drums, and within the time allocated can be playing exciting music together, achieving new levels of communication and performance skills and enhancing team building in an energetic, informal way. The added bonus of having Rod, an experienced workshop leader, will ensure the session will be enjoyable and interactive right from the start.

Materials to be used

All of the parts of a basic Samba piece can be easily learned within a workshop. Samba is very accessible because it doesn’t require instrumental or notational knowledge and is learned on percussion instruments which are easy to hold and play.

The workshop would consist of a selection of lightweight percussion instruments. These include:

tamborims which are small, hand held drums.
snare drums or caixas,
agogô bells which are hand held double bells.
surdos, the large, aluminium framed bass drums.
and ganzas, or shakers.

The course is led by experienced teacher (Rod Pilois) with qualifications in percussion teaching, as well as vast experience in Samba, world music studies and performing arts.

Prior musical training is not required – just bring yourself and an open heart and mind! All of our classes have a welcoming and fun atmosphere, and we are sure you will walk away with the Samba rhythm in your body.

It is the Samba School’s policy that students should wear hearing protection while attending our classes and we ask all to respect the instruments in class. You can bring your own drum and ear plugs or we will have some available for those who require them.

No video recording of the class allowed out of respect of the class and instructor.

Next Class Schedule-Term 3- From Thursday 16 July to 17 September

7.30pm to 8.30pm