FACULTY PROFILE Brandon Mayes

At the age of 16, Brandon Mayes received a contract from Disney owned Hollywood Records to be a musician. His first job was playing drums for Hilary and Haylie Duff on their tour. Through the years, he toured with Santana, rappers Soulja Boy, Drake and Kendrick Lamar who he grew up with in the same neighborhood in Inglewood, California. Pete Erskine, a drummer who “dropped knowledge on him” and Latin/Brazilian fusion drummer Alex Acuna, from the fusion band Weather Report, both were instrumental to his career. They were professors in Los Angeles who gave master classes when Mr. Mayes was in school. During his junior and senior years, Mr. Mayes toured with his high school around the country before going to Cal State Fullerton, where he took a year off to tour before attending Berklee College of Music. He returned to Berklee two years later to be a lecturer and adjunct professor, which he still does two days a week. This school year, St. Mary’s is fortunate to have Mr. Mayes teach Chorus and Music Appreciation to High School students and General Music to grades 6–8. In addition, he is leading St. Mary’s Theatre Company and is currently organizing a play and musical whose titles are for now being kept a secret. Students who are interested in theatre meet after school and there are high hopes to have formal drama classes next year. Brandon is also heading up St. Mary’s Chorus who have held Coffee Houses and performed at the pep rally, Christmas Tree Lighting and more. A new Multimedia Lab for sophomores, juniors and seniors is introducing them to podcasting, radio broadcasting, television and film music and commercial music. During second semester, there will be a new Liturgical Choir that will be open to all students. He considers himself a “down to earth guy, not in the clouds” like some other musicians. His advice to his students is to “stay grounded.” It is important to him to teach his students about “today’s music and its positive and negative effects on society.” Mr. Mayes is still touring, and next summer, you can hear him play drums on the Buzz Ligthtyear Movie soundtrack. In addition to his passion of playing drums, he is a proud dad of a sixteen month old daughter who is “amazing and awesome.”

by Stacy Drector