Jeff Ballard was born in California and raised in Utah.  He is a retired elementary teacher, having taught in the same school for 30 years.   He began his teaching career at a small rural school in Spanish Fork, Utah.  But it wasn’t until 1996 that Jeff was introduced to African drumming through an artist in residence program at the Rees School.  Sitting in on that first lesson, he was instantly hooked. The students were spellbound, they were responding to his lesson as he had never experienced teaching music before.
He began began amassing his own drums, and rhythm books, and CDs, and DVDs and practic- ing with drummers whenever he could, and Jeff has been teaching music based on World Drumming and Rhythm techniques since then. His collection contains thirty or more African drums, and another thirty world instruments from Central and South America, Asia, Polyne- sia, Europe and Native America.   He has built his own drum, and can repair any of the others that need fixing.
Jeff created and led an auditioned children's touring group called RAD (Rees African Drums!) which toured all over Utah until retiring in 2016. (He wants to create another drum group in Cache Valley...soon!) He guest lectures at BYU Idaho, and does drum circle demonstrations wherever he is invited!
My area of focus is World Music, centered on Hand drums from Africa, Persia, Polynesia, Asia, Europe, and Native America.  Through my instruction participants will learn basic hand- drumming techniques, using drums from all over the globe.  They will experience rhythms from many different cultures, using regional music tablature, oral lyrical representation, and Western music notation. They will be instructed in the creation and performance of personal and ensemble rhythms. They will be introduced to leaders in world music, both historical and contemporary, along with their lives, music and cultural impact.  They will be introduced to musical instruments from many countries and cultures.
WARNING! Jeff Ballard is addicted to drums, and wishes to spread the disease!