Tom Grashion Hewitt's Profile

Background:

With over 10 years in the music and film industry performing and working under high pressure, I feel confident in adapting to any situation. Straight after completing 4 A Levels, including Music and Music Technology, I worked full-time for two years at HMV, Newbury. I was able to save up enough money not just for a place in London in order to pursue ambitions with my band but also for my E-Music BSc. at Coventry University. Just before I finished my degree I secured a work placement with award-winning record producer Martin 'Youth' Glover (Sir Paul McCartney, Crowded House, The Verve, Killing Joke, The Orb...). While working for Martin I had many jobs, from remix engineer to head engineer/content creator of a global project which featured a host of respectable artists and musicians including Matt Black (Coldcut/Ninja Tune records co-founder), James McCartney and Jon Moss (Culture Club). My brother, another studio engineer working for Martin, and myself had a two-piece blues-rock band which got signed for a single release. After a recording session with John Leckie where I provided drums for Matt Black, The Egg and Martin, I was asked by Matt to join his Ninja Tune team part-time and start immediately in creating content for his remix app Ninja Jamm. I am featured on several packs including releases on the latest version of the app Jamm Pro. During my three years working for Ninja Tune I had a wide range of other jobs to help with living costs, including peripatetic drum tutor, waiter, steward marshall at ice and roller rinks, sound engineering corporate videos, film crew runner, session drummer, data engineer at Royal Chelsea Hospital and sonic ident production for Silicone Valley technology companies. I left Ninja Tune and became an iMedia Tutor, teaching Key Stage 2 & 3 classes of up to 30 students for two hours with no breaks. This came with certain challenges but I feel like I responded to the best of my abilities and gained the trust and respect of students, who, during sports day, greeted me on the field with an impromptu chant of my name. It was a humbling experience that taught me a lot about keeping students engaged and focused in a positive and productive way. Since then I have been looking to further my peripatetic teaching at schools in the Croydon area and beyond. Just before the Coved-19 lockdown, I moved back to my parents to help support my mum who works for the NHS. I am setting up virtual drum lessons to help keep students engaged as well as giving parents some time off. By being a member of the Music Teaching Online community, I feel I can optimise my skills and time to help inspire people during these challenging times. Music has always been there for me, it helps provide a physical and mental release that I believe is second to none and that is the gift I wish to pass on. Yours sincerely, Tom Grashion Hewitt