About the teacher

The samba workshops are lead by Tom Harding, aka Tom the Pom, who relocated to Australia with his wife in 2006. He has been leading samba workshops for businesses, schools and community groups since 1997. His record to date is teaching 1,140 people to drum in two cities in six days!

Tom is a gifted musician with a genuine passion for sharing music with all. His teaching style is energetic, charismatic and supportive, and his infectious enthusiasm for samba and music will shine through in every single workshop he leads. Students will come away feeling energised and enthused.

In the UK Tom had strong ties with two leading community music and art organisations, ADeC and Sound Sense. He was the musician and composer for The Syringa Tree, a play which won praise at Edinburgh Festival in 2006 . He has set up and led two community Samba bands and is the mestre of Samba Ninja - an up and coming samba band in Sydney.

As well as leading samba workshops, Tom also plays the didgeridoo, guitar, African and Indian drums and performs in various world music gigs and festivals around Sydney.

He believes that we that we are all musical, and by simply taking the pressure out and putting the joy back we can all play. Although music is an art and a science, it is also a game for many players where no one loses.