About the drum school
Personal, authentic and attentive to who is in front of us. Since 2010.
About us
Drumschool Stefan van de Brug is a modern, calm drum school in The Hague where children and adults learn to drum in a way that suits them. We work with a team of six teachers, give weekly lessons to over 100 students, and do so from three studios at Popradar Loosduinen.
What sets us apart is not that we're the biggest or the cheapest. Nor that we promise you'll be a pro in six weeks. What sets us apart is how we work. Calm. Personal. With attention to what's needed to truly grow — not just as a drummer, but also as a person.
Drumming is about technique, about rhythm, about timing. But it's also about focus, about confidence, about the way you use your body. And it's about joy. Because if it's not fun, you won't stick with it. And if you don't stick with it, you won't learn it.
That's the core of what we do here. Everything else follows from that.
Our story
How it all started
I was eight when I fell in love with drumming. I still remember how that felt — the realisation that this was something I could spend hours on without getting bored. I learned from drummers who were better than me, I practised until my hands hurt, and I played everything I could get my hands on. It was never a choice. It was simply what I did.
At fifteen, I started teaching. Not because I thought I was ready, but because I didn't fancy stacking shelves in a supermarket and someone asked if I'd teach his son to drum. I said yes. I taught in my parents' shed — small, simple, no luxuries. But I immediately noticed how special it was to help someone learn their first rhythm.
What started as a side job slowly grew into something bigger. I learned to teach by doing, by making mistakes, by seeing what worked and what didn't. I learned that technique is important, but without calm and safety it leads nowhere. I learned that children with ADD — like myself — don't need more discipline, but more structure and clarity.
There were years when it came easily, and years when it was tough. There were moments when I doubted whether this was really what I wanted to keep doing. But every time I stopped doubting and sat down with a student again, I knew. This is what I can do. This is what gives me energy. This is what I'm good at.
Today I run one of the largest drum schools in The Hague together with my team. We teach over 100 students per week, from children of 6 to adults of 70+. We work in three professional studios at Popradar, we have a clear way of working, and we know what we're doing.
But what I'm still most proud of is this: that former students like Vincent and Sekou are now teachers themselves. That they learned to drum here, grew, and now teach the next generation. For me, that's the proof that drumming is more than a hobby.
The team
Six teachers, one vision
Stefan van de Brug
Founder & head teacher
I've been teaching for over 20 years, and it still gives me energy. I mainly work with students who need something extra — children with ADD, adults who get stuck, drummers who want to develop technically but aren't quite sure how. I teach in Studio 11 and focus on CBM-based education: consciousness, body, mind. Besides teaching, I still perform — including with Friends of the Family, with whom I once played at Parkpop.
Vincent Schlechter
Teacher
Vincent started as a student at the drum school when he was young. He grew, went to the Herman Brood Academy and came back as a teacher after graduating. I always love that — someone who learned here and now teaches himself. Vincent is patient, technically strong and has a calm way of explaining that works especially well with young people.
Sekou Camara
Teacher
Sekou was also once a student here. He has an energetic, playful style that immediately puts young children at ease. Sekou is creative, improvises easily and has a lot of stage experience as a touring musician. He knows how to keep someone enthusiastic without it becoming chaotic.
Noah Bakker
Teacher
Noah is an all-round drummer with a broad musical background. He plays in the band Tales and specialises in modern styles. What I appreciate about Noah is his eye for detail — he quickly spots where something can be improved technically and knows how to explain it clearly without it becoming overwhelming.
Joost Milatz
Teacher
Joost studies at the Conservatory of Amsterdam and combines that with teaching. He has a warm, patient way of guiding and is great at inspiring students. Joost is someone who takes his time, who listens, who really looks at what a student needs.
Jelle Dalm
Teacher Studio 14
Jelle teaches on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday in Studio 14. Reliable, flexible and with a lot of experience. Jelle is someone you can count on — both as a teacher and as a colleague. He knows how the school works, knows the approach and adapts easily to different students.
How we work
The CBM method: Consciousness · Body · Mind
What sets us apart from other drum schools is not just that we teach, but how we do it. We call it the CBM method — Consciousness, Body, Mind. It sounds abstract, but it's very practical.
Awareness
Drumming starts with awareness. With seeing what's going on. With feeling where tension sits, where your attention goes, where you get stuck. Most students don't know why something is difficult. They only know it's not working.
"If you see what's going on, you can work with it."
Body
Drumming is physical. How you sit, how you breathe, how you hold your sticks, how tension and relaxation alternate — it all affects how you play. We pay attention to posture, to movement, to how the body works.
"The body never lies."
Mind
Drumming requires focus. It requires doing multiple things at once — moving hands and feet independently, listening, counting, feeling. We work with structure, with repetition, with clear steps.
"We don't push. We guide."
These three elements — awareness, body, mind — are not separate. They work together. And when you combine them, you don't just learn to drum. You also learn to focus, to relax, to understand yourself better. That's how we work.
Who we're here for
Everyone is welcome
We work with children from age 6, with teenagers, with adults, with people just starting out and with people who have been drumming for years. We work with students who want to learn drums as a hobby, and with students aiming for a conservatory or a band.
We have extensive experience with neurodiverse students — ADD, ADHD, ASD, performance anxiety, concentration challenges. Not because we're a special school, but because we understand that learning is different for everyone.
I have ADD myself. I know from the inside how that feels, how it works, what's needed to learn without becoming overwhelmed. That's embedded in the way we teach.
You don't need prior knowledge. You don't need a drum kit. Just willingness to learn. We take care of the rest.
We're also clear about pricing. Weekly 45-minute lessons are our most popular option, costing €119.50 to €144.50 per month depending on age. But cheaper alternatives exist: 30-minute weekly lessons start at €79.50 per month. And if even that is a barrier: just talk to us. Music should be accessible to everyone, and we take that seriously. See our pricing page for full details.
Our studios
Studio 11, 13 and 14 at Popradar
We work in three studios at Popradar The Hague — a creative hub in Loosduinen where music and inspiration are central. Each studio has its own atmosphere, its own instruments, its own energy.
Studio 11
Our main studio. Acoustic drum kit, good sound insulation, the iconic yellow wall you may have seen in photos. This is the space where Stefan teaches himself.
Studio 13
Our second studio. Also with an acoustic drum kit, modern interior, professional equipment. A different atmosphere — but the same calm, the same quality.
Video tour coming soon
Studio 14
Our newest studio. A third space with its own character. Jelle teaches here on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
Parents can watch during lessons or wait in the lounge. Easily accessible from Loosduinen, Kijkduin, Bohemen and other neighbourhoods in The Hague. Ample parking and good public transport connections.
What we're proud of
Growth
We're not proud of our numbers or our reach. We're proud of the moments when we see someone grow. From the beginner who walks in a bit unsure to the drummer who plays in a band with joy. From the child who struggles with focus to the teenager who uses drumming as an outlet and anchor.
Those are the moments we do it for. That one student who walks in and says: "I finally get it." Or that parent who calls and says their child has become calmer. Or that adult who does their first performance after a year of lessons.
That's what it's all about. The rest is secondary.
Stefan on drums
Playing, dynamics and musicality in motion
Stefan live
Stage experience, timing and sound
Ready to start?
Come and meet us
Book a free 30-minute trial lesson. You'll meet one of our teachers, try out drumming, and get a feel for the space, the approach, and the way we work.