One of Australia’s leading teachers of traditional drumming, Maidstone’s Ray Pereira has been honoured with an OAM for service to the performing arts as a percussionist, performer and composer.
Sri Lanka-born Pereira counts introducing different types of percussion to the Australian community, and popularising it, among his most significant contributions.
“Because we are living in a country like Australia, in those days there was limited exposure to other cultures, for example there was no Latin band or salsa band whereas now you’ve got all these communities that have built up,“ he said.
“I was always a firm believer that music is not just something that comes from an individual – it is actually part of a community.“
Pereira has recorded and performed with some of Australia’s biggest names including Paul Kelly, Yothu Yindi, Archie Roach and Christine Anu.
He has composed and performed percussion tracks for films such as The Dish, The Talking Drum, Shake Hands With The Devil and Maalu, and been a backing musician on TV for artists including Jimmy Barnes, John Farnham, Billy Thorpe, Isaac Hayes, Ricky Martin and Chubby Checker.
Pereira started teaching drumming to adults in the mid 90s and runs workshops in Footscray, Fitzroy and Brunswick.
He says teaching students at Footscray Primary School, Derrimut Primary School and Kororoit Creek Primary School at Burnside Heights is something he is most proud of.
“As I went along, I started thinking that I should impart this knowledge to younger generations,“ Pereira said.
“So, I think that was my most important contribution – that I started teaching.
“Footscray Primary School is my local school, and I got into that by accident.
“I was looking for a place to hold my drumming workshops for adults and I went over to see the principal and the business manager with a view to hiring their hall … and then the principal called me and said you can hire the hall but we’re not going to charge you – how about you run some classes for the grade sixes.“
Pereira runs student study tours to Ghana and Sri Lanka and financially supports students and musicians in these countries.
His other work includes being vice-president of the Moreland City Band and a guest lecturer in master drumming at several universities.
