Our Teachers

Benjamin Graham

Mondays, Wednesdays & Thursday Daytime.

Benjamin Graham, the owner of Play Music Melbourne, is a professional and active drummer in the Australian music scene. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Contemporary Music from JMC Academy and an Honours Degree in Interactive Composition from the University of Melbourne. As part of his honours course, Ben received the Marion Thomas award for excellence in the final performance.

Ben is an experienced private teacher who has taught through his own studios throughout his entire professional career. He has also taught in other music schools and high schools, teaching students the foundational concepts of drums, right through to guiding students through their VCE exams / preparing for university auditions. Ben has also taught various music grading curricula, with the highest mark achieved being 94/100.

In terms of performance, Ben has worked on a countless number of gigs and recordings. He has performed on albums that have won ARIA awards, 2 AIR Awards, and reached number 1 on AMRAP charts. His recording work spans over 5 hours of music that has been released on Spotify. He has also played on short film scores, shown at Melbourne International Film Festal and ACMI, and various advertisements and jingles.

He has performed in some of Australia's most iconic venues, including the Sydney Opera House, Sidney Myer Music Bowl, and many more. Additionally, he has worked in an 11-piece orchestra on board a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, performing around Asia, Europe, the Middle East, South Asia, and the South Pacific.

While drums have always been his instrument of choice, underneath it all is Ben's deep love of sound and the different ways it can make you feel. Though it may sound like a cliché, he loves playing a bit of everything, performing in bands ranging from pop to country, folk, and jazz. But in whatever he is playing, recording, producing, or mixing, he is always thinking about the 'feel'.

Ben is suitable for all students, however he specialises in intermediate and advanced students.

Angus McKean

Tuesdays & Saturdays

Angus McKean is an Australian Session Drummer, Percussionist, Producer and Musical Director based in Melbourne, Australia.

Over the years, Angus has curated and refined a style of drumming that objectifies his spirited, passionate, and kind personality. His outspoken love and professional attitude towards music has lent him to many styles of music including Jazz, Improvisation, Musical Theatre, Rap/Hip-Hop, Pop and more. Angus is a graduate of the Victorian College of The Arts (UniMelb) in 2023, with a Bachelor in Jazz and Improvisation. 

Drumming has taken Angus across Australia, Europe, and America across tours, festivals and trips. Angus currently performs with artists such as Jacob Fitzgerald & The Electric City, Kiwat Kennell,  Ishan, The Glamour, Woody Samson, Tejo D'Cruz, Nathan and Angus, El Nova and more. He has also performed with Rob Glasemann (USA), John McAll, The Black Jesus Experience and Finding Caspar amongst others. Angus is increasingly becoming in-demand for remote, and in-studio recording, including singles, albums and cast recordings.

Concurrently, Angus performs in musical theatre as a Drummer and Musical Director in Melbourne. Most recently, Angus has been handed the role of Assistant Musical Director for ‘Heathers: The Musical’ coming to Melbourne in late 2023 with OCPAC. Angus’ previous shows include (and are not limited to)’Chess: The Musical’ CLOC, 'The Boy From Oz ' WMTC, 'Stranger Sings: A Parody Musical (Off-Broadway-Transfer) Salty Theatre, 'Legally Blonde’ Waterdale, ‘The Venetian Twins (Malthouse Theatre), 'School of Rock' National Theatre, 'On The Rise: A New Musical (Melbourne Fringe), 'The SpongeBob SquarePants Musical' Alexander Theatre, 'Nunsense 2: The Second Coming (Paragon Players) 'Footloose' UMMTA, 'High School Musical' SB, 'The Addams Family', 'Disney Presents: Mary Poppins', 'You're a Good Man Charlie Brown' UMMTA, 'One Man Two Guvnors’ MGS, and more. Angus further plays in 'Homegrown Aus', a frequent live theatre workshop that gives Australian Musical Theatre writers a platform to pitch and perform their work. 

Notably, in 2020, Angus was nominated for Young Australian of The Year for his efforts with ‘Music For The Mountains’. At the age of 17, Angus directed and organised a ‘three stage, 32 act’ music festival in New South Wales to raise funds for 2019-2020 bushfire relief. The roster included artists such as Taylor Henderson, Rumours, Curly Mills and more. This saw nation-wide press for Angus, and it was here where he fell in love with the music industry. 

Aiden Arandez

Thursday Evenings

Aiden Arandez is the newest member of the Play Music Melbourne team. Offering lessons on Guitar, Bass & Beginner Drums.

He brings a unique perspective to lessons, as he's not only an active member of the Melbourne music community but also a practicing high school teacher with roles overseeing a school's full music department.

As a high school music teacher, Aiden possesses a wealth of knowledge in music theory and practical results. He not only guides full classrooms through his self-developed curriculum but also provides private instruction, mentoring students through VCE exams for over 10 years on various instruments, including drums, guitar, and bass.

Being a multi-instrumentalist, Aiden takes a highly musical approach when teaching any instrument, deeply understanding the role each instrument plays within an ensemble.

Aiden has performed with ARIA award-winning artists such as Altiyan Childs and Teeny Tiny Stevies. He has also recorded with various local artists and maintains an active solo performance career.

Aiden is the perfect teacher for all guitar and bass students and also beginners and intermediate drummers, having guided numerous students through the foundational concepts necessary for drumming.