You are in the right place if you want to know more about Eric Boudreault.

Eric Boudreault was born in the small town of Alma, Canada. Growing up as an only child, he learned the importance of values such as hard work, perseverance, and determination: if you want something, you must work for it.

Eric first discovered the drums when he was only three years old and became curious about music at an early age. He received his first drum kit at five and joined a band at ten.

His positive energy and attitude paid off early, giving him the confidence to knock on the doors of drum companies and musical groups. To Eric, the drums were much more than just a backbeat instrument. Even at a young age, he was already creating new, organic, and original rhythms.

Eric has been featured in numerous drum magazines and newspapers, including Modern Drummer, Drums Etc., DRUM!, and many others.

In 1999, Eric received his first major opportunity to prove himself when he was selected to participate in the Yamaha Rising Stars Showcase at the Montreal Drum Fest. His talent began attracting the attention of other drummers and professionals within the music industry.

After graduating in drum and percussion performance from the Alma College of Music and in jazz drum set performance from Concordia University in Montreal, the professional world opened up to him. He became one of Canada’s busiest international touring drummers, spending 18 years on the road and performing more than 6,000 shows with various productions.

He soon joined Cavalia, an equestrian production, for the creation of its first touring show. Featuring brilliant music composed by Michel Cusson, the production toured throughout Canada and the United States for several years. Eric completed his contract after four years of touring and more than 700 performances. In 2011, he also joined Cavalia’s second production, Odysseo, performing more than 1,700 shows.

Despite the unpredictable nature of the music industry, Eric remained calm and focused on his work. Determined to establish his professional credibility, he approached drum companies for support and endorsements. He became one of the few Quebec-born Canadian drummers to be endorsed by Remo drumheads, Yamaha drums, Paiste cymbals, Vic Firth drumsticks, LP Percussion, and DW pedals and hardware.

In 2006, Inizio, the first album by his jazz band Waza, was released. Featuring Alex Acuña, John Patitucci, John Beasley, Michel Donato, and Ron Di Lauro, the album blends new and complex drum patterns. Waza was also invited to perform at the Montreal International Jazz Festival in 2008 and at the NAMM Show in California in 2011.

Over the years, Eric has continued to dedicate much of his time to a variety of projects. He has presented masterclasses across Canada and produced several albums. In 2011, he was invited to Los Angeles to participate in the Drum Channel Experience. Since then, he has returned periodically as a Drum Channel instructor.

In 2012, Eric was one of the featured artists at the 20th anniversary of the Montreal Drum Fest. He has also appeared on numerous major television programs, including The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, KTLA Morning News, eTalk, Today on NBC, Fox 5 Morning News Los Angeles, Fox 5 San Diego, KGW Portland, Star King in South Korea, Dans l’univers, Montréal–Québec, Salut Bonjour, Musimax, MusiquePlus, MuchMusic, L.A. Morning, Citytv Toronto, and CHCH Morning Live, among many others.

In 2006, Eric was excited to launch his drum company, Battam Drum Co., with its distinctive circle, triangle, and square logo. He built several drum kits and snare drums for drummers across Canada. In 2008, the company was renamed Elements Percussion and expanded to include artist booking and musician management services.

Eric began working with the rock-and-roll circus Les Parfaits Inconnus in 2007, performing more than 300 shows around the world. In 2008, he joined Samajam, Canada’s largest percussion school, participating in more than 400 performances and team-building events.

Since November 2012, Eric’s drum book, Drumming Language, has been available in stores and online. He is incredibly proud of this accomplishment, which was the result of a long creative process and a great deal of hard work.

Teaching music has also been one of Eric’s passions for many years. He has taught at the elementary school, high school, college, and university levels across Canada. Over the years, he has also taught more than 600 students through private lessons.

Eric has always enjoyed contributing to the drumming community. For this reason, he served as spokesperson, host, and artistic director of the Capitale Drum Fest in Quebec City in 2014 and 2015. Produced by La Boîte à Musiciens, the festival provided an important platform for both the international drumming community and Canadian drummers.

Beyond his career as a drummer, Eric is passionate about artist development, event production, artistic direction, show concepts, and many other aspects of creative production. From 2016 to 2018, he led the musician casting department at Samajam Productions.

In 2019, he toured with Cirque du Soleil’s Blue Man Group production. From 2018 to 2023, he also worked as a fly-in musician on several Cirque du Soleil productions, including AXEL, Under the Same Sky, KOOZA, R.U.N., and ’Twas the Night Before.

In 2019, Eric participated in the creation of PY1, a new production by Lune Rouge Entertainment, founded by Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberté. The innovative production toured North America in a pyramid-shaped theatre.

Eric was also a project manager for Cavalia’s new illuminated experience, Illumi, for its 2019 and 2020 editions in Laval, Canada. From 2021 to 2022, he worked as an international artistic project manager for Acmé Décors, collaborating with companies such as The 7 Fingers, Cirque du Soleil, CBC, Supply and Demand, the National Film Board of Canada, Just for Laughs, ShowSDT, and many others.

In 2020, Eric received three honorary degrees in music performance from CAM Escuela de Música CDMX, G. Martell University, and the National Conservatory of Music of Mexico. He was the first drummer invited to present a masterclass at the renowned and prestigious conservatory.

Eric has always wanted to share his knowledge with the drumming community. We invite you to discover his original educational video series, One Minute or Less Drum Lessons, on YouTube.

Beginning in 2023, Eric spent nearly two years in Guam, a U.S. territory, working as the drummer, musical director, and bandleader for Karera, a new permanent production by Baldyga Group Entertainment at the SandCastle Theatre. With between 300 and 500 performances scheduled annually, this major engagement presented an exciting new challenge. Karera is one of the largest permanent theatrical productions in Micronesia and Oceania.

Eric is also deeply passionate about artistic creation and production. In March 2025, he joined the renowned company TAIT as a project manager, overseeing a variety of artistic and entertainment projects.

Eric Boudreault is featured in Sticks ’n’ Skins, an encyclopedia celebrating some of the world’s most accomplished drummers. His project, Drumfills Kafé, keeps him connected with musicians and friends from around the world. He is the founder, artistic director, and host of this webcast, podcast, and online magazine. More information is available at www.drumfillskafe.com.

Eric’s success is not simply the result of destiny; it reflects his hard work, dedication, perseverance, and talent as a musician. His journey is an inspiration to his generation and an invitation for others to pursue their own dreams with the same passion and determination.

Web design by Yellow Suits Production – Yellowsuitsproduction@gmail.com