Fifty drumming students will be banging the drum for a good cause during a benefit concert today at the Whitney auditorium.

Founder of the Drum Academy Kevin Maybury said that the students will be performing a repertoire of drum line demonstrations, various percussion ensembles, such as Soca, "wave ya rag" contests, Gombey drum contests and African musical chairs during the FunDRUMentals of Learning Show.

The audience can expect to be involved in the concert and Mr. Maybury promises crowd participation and prizes.

Special guests are the tap dancer Live Wire and scatting performer Desta, vocalist Vance Goader, and the Ricky Spence Salsa Dancers with the Drum Academy's Latin ensemble and Ras Mykkal will also perform.

The show will be held under the distinguished patronage of Kenneth Sinclair "Tokey" Dill, the former band master of the Bermuda Regiment Band.

And the event will be hosted by Patrina `Powergirl' O'Connor, a presenter on Power 95.

Mr. Maybury has been running the Drum Academy for ten years and currently students attend between 10.30 a.m. and 3.30 p.m. every Saturday.

He said: "My motto is teaching with an attitude and the students learn the DRUM basics which are, discipline, respect, unity and mastery.

"In order for any student to learn to play any instrument it requires discipline, they have to respect themselves and other people, they bond or unite with other students during the lessons and when the student has achieved all the other lessons he has reached mastery."

Doors open at 4.30 p.m. and Show time is at 5 p.m. Patrons $30, adults $20 and children under 12, $10.