Mark Sutton: Former ANU music teacher converts horse float to drum classroom for south coast lessons

A former university music teacher has converted a horse float into a portable drum classroom after making a sea-change to the south coast. See inside his unique music hub.

A former university music teacher who turned his sights to the south coast has converted a horse float into a music studio which he is using to teach kids how to play the drums.

Before Mark Sutton started ‘That Drummer Guy’ out of the horse float, the Moruya man taught music at the Australian National University for 15 years.

It was when Mr Sutton moved to the south coast with his wife from Canberra that the two had the idea to turn a horse float into the studio.

“My wife claims ownership because she said it was her idea,” Mr Sutton said.

Mr Sutton said the two wanted to go with a horse float, as it would be a cheap option for the music teacher to keep moving with his passion after relocating to the south coast.

Mark Sutton converted the horse float into a drumming classroom after moving to the south coast. Picture: Tom McGann.

“For me, it isn’t about money,” Mr Sutton said. “Even though we moved, I wanted to keep teaching drums because I really just want to put my knowledge and experience in music into the next generation, that’s what it’s really about,” he said.

In total, the process of purchasing the horse float and converting it into the drumming classroom took Mr Sutton about four months and cost around $4000.

The set up includes two electric drum kits, two computer screens, a Bose speaker and more. Picture: Tom McGann.

The horse float now contains foamed walls and floor, wooden carpentry, two electric drum sets, two computer screens, a Bose speaker, a printer and more.

Using the classroom the former university music master now teaches about 11 students a day.

“We charge $40 per 30 minute lesson,” Mr Sutton said.

Currently, the horse float drumming classroom lives in Broulee, where it moves between St Peters Anglican College and Carroll College, however Mr Sutton plans to have his classroom in more public places in the future.

“I don’t have the location and space to cater to everyone yet being at the schools, so right now it’s just boys and girls from the two schools” he said.

“But, we want to be available for everyone, not just school students, so my goal is to eventually move to areas like the riverside in Moruya – that really would be the best spot.”

Unfortunately for Mr Sutton, he has not yet begun teaching lessons next in the Moruya riverside park, as council “red tape” has made it difficult.

“There’s so much stuff that needs to be considered, but I’m going to keep fighting to eventually be in that spot because it’s just perfect,” he said.

From there, Mr Sutton hopes to have permanent spots for the drumming classroom in Narooma, Moruya and Batemans Bay.

The drumming classroom currently moves between St Peters Anglican College and Carroll College in Broulee.

“This classroom can be anywhere that’s flat and has access to power,” he said.

Ziggy Brunoro is one of Mr Sutton’s students, with the nine-year-old having lessons out of the horse float during school times.

“I just love playing the drums,” Mr Brunoro said. “He is such a talented student,” Mr Sutton said.

In the years to come, Mr Sutton hopes to teach more students out of the horse float and said the “talent” along the south coast was going to make that goal easy to achieve.

“There is just so much talent in this area,” he said. “If we can make this facility available to as many people as we can, then the south coast will have a way to truly express that talent.”