In-person, Online & Asynchronous

I’m Dennis Frehse, a professional drummer and drum teacher from Germany, based in the Tokyo area, Japan. I teach at Senzoku Gakuen College of Music and offer private drum lessons in person, online, and asynchronously.

I work with students of all levels, from complete beginners to advanced players and working professionals. Maybe you're just starting out and want the right start, feel stuck and want to work on specific weaknesses, or come sporadically for fresh input and inspiration. Everybody is warmly welcomed. 

What to expect

My passion and expertise are in jazz and improvisation, but I’ve always been in love with music as a whole. I’m a versatile and open-minded musician, and I enjoy performing across styles. Whether it’s rock, pop, funk, jazz, soul, hip-hop, latin, classical, or something else — good music is good music, and I’m happy to work with you on what you want to explore or get better at.

A big part of my teaching is also about building a strong foundation. Learning proper technique and control, rhythm and feel, reading music, listening skills, creativity and overall musical understanding... This will not only help you play with more depth and confidence, but also gives you the freedom to express yourself fully in the music. 

Lesson Formats

I offer three ways to work together — they can be used individually or combined freely.

In-person

Held at my private studio in Kawasaki, near Motosumiyoshi station. It's easily reached from Tokyo and Yokohama.

Online

Live lessons via video call. Works from anywhere in the world. I currently teach students in Germany, Hong Kong, and Canada. Many local students also switch freely between online and in-person depending on the day. It's a flexible and convenient way to keep the lessons going no matter what.

Asynchronous Coaching

You send videos of your playing, practice, or questions anytime (a quick smartphone recording is enough). I review them and respond with personal, detailed feedback as video or text plus new materials, which you then apply and follow up on. It's an ongoing but flexible exchange at your pace and when you need it.

This works especially well for busy people with tight or unpredictable schedules, students who live far away, and anyone who wants more frequent feedback and faster progress. Combined with live lessons, it becomes an especially powerful way to learn.

This is not a video course or YouTube. Everything is highly personal and built around you and your playing.

About Me

I'm from Hannover, Germany and have been living in Japan since 2009. I studied at Berklee College of Music in Boston and have been playing and teaching professionally for over 25 years — privately, at music schools, and leading workshops and ensemble classes on jazz and improvisation at middle and high schools in both Germany and Japan.

Music has taken me across Europe, the USA, and Asia — from small jazz clubs to concert halls, arenas, and recording studios, with occasional TV appearances along the way, including a feature on NHK's 旅するためのドイツ語.

I've had the chance to work with many wonderful artists, including Makoto Ozone, Sadao Watanabe, Seiko Matsuda, Roman & Julian Wasserfuhr, Lisa Ono, Tomonao Hara, Dan Nimmer, Yu Shirota, Sarah McKenzie, Kengo Nakamura, Takana Miyamoto, the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, Jun Abe, Michel Reis, and Martin Sasse, among many others.

What keeps me going as a teacher is seeing my students move forward. Every small step counts, and it always fascinates me how much impact the right information at the right moment can have. Sharing my experience to help others grow is very fulfilling and it's my chance to give back to the music and the drums, who have given me so much. Drumming and making music is fun, it's deep, it's healing and inspiring.

Pricing

Lessons are 60 minutes, though shorter and longer sessions are also possible. Let's talk and we'll find a format that fits your situation.

In-person & online: ¥8,800 / lesson (60 min, tax included)
Asynchronous coaching: ¥11,000 / month (tax included)
Async + live session per month: discount available

Get in touch

Everyone’s situation is a bit different, and there’s only so much I can explain here. If this sounds interesting to you, feel free to get in touch. We can set up a short video call, talk about things, and figure out together if my lessons are a good fit for you.

frehsedrums@gmail.com

Jill F.
Dennis is the best drum teacher you can ever ask for! Both my kids are learning with him at the moment and in such a short time, he got them reading notes and playing beats. He helped them progress very quickly. Dennis is incredibly kind and he makes the lessons fun for my kids, one is a teen! He’s always available to answer any questions. If you are looking for a drum teacher, Dennis I can say is the number 1 choice!
via google maps

Ting Y.
I studied jazz drumming with Dennis for about six months, and it was truly a pleasure to learn from him. Beyond his solid technique and deep musical understanding, he is also an incredibly patient and kind teacher. Learning about the way he approaches music inspired me to reflect on and rethink my own approach to playing my primary instrument.

In addition, he has a spacious studio where students can interact and play together with him in real time, which is quite rare to find in a city like Tokyo.

I would highly recommend Dennis to anyone interested in learning the drums. Studying with him has been a rewarding experience and is definitely worth it.
via google maps

Yuki O.
“I highly recommend Dennis as a drumset private instructor, I’ve been taking drum lessons from him for about 3 years now and I’m very happy with the progress i’ve made with him! Currently preparing to study jazz performance at a college level and Dennis has really helped me with that.”
via Forte Lessons

Chris M.
“I’ve been studying with Dennis both in person and online since 2019. He is patient but persistent, always pushing me forward while encouraging and guiding me in my efforts to be a better musician. He has also helped me work on any type of music I have wished to. Taking online lessons with Dennis on forte has been quite smooth; he understands and uses the technology effectively. I recommend Dennis without hesitation.”
via Forte Lessons

Sebastian S.
“Our son started drums lessons with Dennis about 6 years ago, at the beginning face to face lessons and later due to pandemic situation online. So we know Dennis very well and we strongly recommend Dennis not only as a very good teacher, but also as a very nice person. Our son enjoys a lot the lessons and he plays with fun and confidence because Dennis finds a good balance between challenging drums theory, relaxed communication and playing together drums. Dennis writes personalized music notes for the level and music interests of our son. Even if we live know in Germany, Dennis is very flexible in providing us a proper and reliable lesson schedule: he never forgets appointments, he is always punctually and in a good mood! We are very grateful for his engagement in teaching our son in a high quality and fun drum experience!”
via Forte Lessons