Self employed teaching private adult and children’s classes and workshops in drums and percussion, (1991 – present)
Self employed as performing musician, Live music Director at Berkeley and Fairfax Dance Jams, percussionist in The Tom Finch Group and Rhythm Matrix.
Music Director for Sunny Hills Gardens, (Residential High School in San Anselmo), (2/05 - present)
Director for the drum program at Grace Patterson Elementary School in Valejo, (10/01- present)
Self employed as a performer and recording artist, playing drums and percussion
with numerous Bay Area bands, (1986 – present.)
Director of the Washington After-School Drum Club. (9/99 – 6/03)
Percussion teacher for the East Bay Center for the Performing Arts, after school outreach program, (11 / 93 – 6/01)
Percussion teacher for Young Performers International (YPI) after school programs in SF and Oakland, (10/00 – 6/01)
Percussion instructor at West Lake Jr. High after school program, (11/93 – 6/94.)
Recreation counselor for at risk youth in Richmond’s’ Gateway Project, (2/92 – 8/93.)
Private study of drums, percussion, voice and guitar, keyboards (1978 – present.)
Orff level 1, music teacher training at Mills College, (2002)
Drum facilitators mentor training with Arthur Hull, (2000)
Studied music, general and early childhood education, Cabrillo College in Aptos CA (1980 – 1983.)
Mika first started doing music with children in 1981 while at Cabrillo College where he completed 32 units in ECE training. Since then he has continued teaching both privately and for different schools and organizations. He has recorded on seven different CD’s and performed live with Steve Miller, Zero, Hamza El Din and members of the Grateful Dead, (Phil Lesh, Mickey Heart and Bob Weir). Through the use of movement and rhythm games, Mika loves to integrate playfulness along with teaching the theoretical aspects of music.
Excellent references available upon request.
