ROD PILOIS
(Photo Angus Smith)
Rod Pilois is a multi-instrumentalist, composer and music educator. Rod has played with a number of artists from various musical styles and backgrounds, from Rock, Jazz, Latin, Reggae and Ska. Projects have been from independent bands to commercial outfits. For media photos, please click the link: https://beatfactormusic.com/home/media-more/
His compositions have received industry acknowledgement, radio airplay and has had band CD’s released in Australia and overseas. Rod’s compositions include a vast array of genres and production styles, which include pieces written for short films, documentaries, children’s show, business promotion and commercial pop tunes.
One of his songs ‘Frozen Heart’ was nominated for song of the year at the Australian Songwriters Association. His other music production work was featured in the short film ‘Pirate’ starring Amy Vellucci and Chris Buntworth, produced by Marian Lee and screened at London Film Festival and Sao Paulo International Film Festival.
A graduate of Music from The College of the Arts, Melbourne and Graduate Diploma in Teaching from Monash University. Rod immersed himself in music studies at the VCA, where he further learnt his craft and skills from mentors such as legendary Jazz icon, Brian Brown, composer Dr. Tony Gould, Latin percussionist Alex Pertout, drummers Michael Jordan, David Jones and Dr. Rob Vincs in music technology.
Rod has worked for the Education department for the last 15 years teaching Drums, Bass, guitar and ensemble skills in percussion and contemporary bands. His percussion ensemble compositions have been performed at Hamer Hall, Immigration Museum in Melbourne and at Gasworks Theatre in Albert Park, by various schools percussion ensembles in the past.
Rod’s other live performances have been at international events such as Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australian Grand Prix, and other major events such as AFL Grand Parade, Moomba Festival, Fringe Festival, Brunswick Festival, Bayside and Williamstown Festivals.
Overseas performances have been in Montreal, Canada and in Bali at various venues.
Due to his love and interest for music technology, Rod later embarked in further studies remotely from University of Newcastle, where he was awarded with a Masters Degree in Music Technology with distinction. One of his projects was the planning and preparation of a music resource manual for music educators in ‘Rhythms For Ensembles’, combining traditional western rhythms with world music influences.
This enabled him to initiate further subjects and courses in the school music curriculum, by running the Certificate III in Music Performance, electronic compositions, song-writing and music business to Year 11 and 12 students.
Rod currently runs Beat Factor Music where he teaches students of all ages in drums, guitar, bass and electronic music. For further details, please click the link below:
https://beatfactormusic.com/lessons-for-adults/
https://beatfactormusic.com/music-tuition-for-kids/
Out of his passion for drumming and teaching, in 2018 he started the community drumming group (Beat Factor Drum Group) in the Western suburbs, where he has been running drumming workshops at Saltwater and Point Cook Community Centers. For further details, please click the link: https://beatfactormusic.com/bfdrumgroup/
The drumming group has performed at various multicultural arts Festivals and Pop Up Parks performing African and Latin drumming in the Wyndham and Hobsons Bay area. Rod has also given generously his time and sharing his skills freely to community run programs such as the Wyndham Learning Festival. Over the last three years he has donated his time and knowledge to run African and Brazilian drumming classes to the local community, to introduce them to music of other cultures and share his passion for drumming.
This has been recognized in the community by the following articles written in the Wyndham Star Weekly and Wyndham Healthy Lifestyle Magazine on the drumming classes.
1.‘Rhythms of The World’-1/6/18 https://wyndham.starweekly.com.au/uncategorized/rhythms-ofthe-world/
2. ‘Feel The Beat’-23/2/21
https://wyndham.starweekly.com.au/news/feel-the-beat/
3. ‘Give me a Beat’ Winter Edition 2021- From Pages 36-40
https://issuu.com/provincialmedia/docs/westside_living_winter_2021_9_
For further details on community drumming performances, please click the link below:
https://beatfactormusic.com/events-performances/events-performances/
Rod regularly performs with Jazz/Funk and Reggae bands in inner city clubs, such as Bar Oussou, in Brunswick. In 2019 he joined ‘Gaia The Band’as the band’s drummer, where they performed at the Jamaican Music Festival in Williamstown alongside international artists ‘Horace Silver’ and ‘Mad Professor’. Gaia The Band was the headline act for the Big Bob Marley Birthday concert in Melbourne at the Corner Hotel in 2020 and 2021. His love of Ska music re–emerged from his days with Melbourne’s underground Ska band ‘Loin Groin’for many years. Rod currently performs with Melbourne’s Ska outfit Jonny Longshot, and past performances have been at the Transit Bar, Federation Square and the now defunct Dogs Bar in St. Kilda.
For media photos, please click the link below: https://beatfactormusic.com/home/media-more/
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, Rod has kept in touch with his students via online teaching. That has enabled him to gather lots of music and teaching materials, which he hopes to further develop and produce into a fully professional publication with accompanying audio and video tutorials.
Beat Factor Solo, as a solo artist, Rod often combines electronics and loops with live percussion.Click here for short live videos.
Company Name: Beat Factor Music
Role: Music Director & Educator
Artistic Practice: Music performance, Music Education & Music Production
Website: www.beatfactormusic.com | www.beatfactor.com.au
Facebook: @rodney.pilois | @beatfactormusic
Email: info @ beatfactormusic.com
Mobile: 0411 028 077
P.O BOX 1085 Altona Meadows Victoria 3028