My name is Andrew Hewitt, I am a 37-year-old drummer based in Sydney.
Despite being born with Cerebral Palsy, I have managed to gain success at an as a performing artist, motivator, drum clinician and drum set educator.
Having appeared in various drum magazines worldwide, such as Modern Drummer (USA), DRUM! (USA), Rhythm (UK), and Australia's own Drumscene, I have been gaining huge exposure across the globe.
I started playing drums in 1980 as a young 10 year old, my parents thought it would be a great form of exercise.
Since then, I have been performing in bands since 1989 on the North West Coast of Tasmania, Melbourne and Sydney.
Over the past 4 years, I have become involved with disability arts with organisations such as Club Wild and Accessible Arts NSW. I have also been running my own drum workshop program for people with disabilities within various organisations, and performing at various conferences and events across Australia.
In February this year, my debut DVD was released worldwide through US Organisation “Alternatives In Music”. “Alternatives In Music presents Andrew Hewitt” is a short 14-minute mini-documentary, about me being a drummer with CP.
"With a heart to see differently-abled people, find their unique alternatives to musical expression, Andrew has worked successfully as a clinician, educator and motivational speaker and will no doubt continue to inspire many people to overcome personal difficulty and disability."
- DRUMSCENE MAGAZINE - JUNE 2007
A trip to the USA is in the pipeline for later next year, to perform some drum clinics with another drummer with CP over there, who is about to release a book about his own drum techniques. Also, I am looking into teaming up with US organisation “The Rhythmic Arts Project” or TRAP to bring their workshop program to Australia.
Over the next 12 months, I will be setting up a teaching practice in Sydney, for beginners to intermediate, people with disabilities, and able bodied.
For a long time, people see I am a drummer, and think “No that couldn't be right”, or “Not physically possible”. Since being in the drumming magazines, people have actually taken much more notice of me as an artist.
I am an endorsee for DW Drums, Zildjian Cymbals, Drum City Sydney and Billy Hyde Music, and am a proud member of the Vic Firth Private Drum Teacher program.
My website can be found at http://www.drummerstix.com.au
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