BSSC Year 12 student, Jacoby Ah-Dore, has experienced the impact great teachers can have on their students. The talented drummer is especially grateful to three music teachers who encouraged, guided, and inspired him.
Experimenting with keyboard and guitar from a very young age, Jacoby didn’t take up formal guitar lessons until Grade 4 at Epsom Primary. His music teacher, Dan Mayes, quickly noticed Jacoby had a natural ability for rhythm and keeping time.
In Grade 5, with Dan’s encouragement Jacoby switched to drums.
“It changed everything, and I knew this was for me,” Jacoby remembers. “At the end of Grade 6, I was awarded Dux for Performing Arts.”
Moving through his 7-10 Years at Weeroona College Bendigo (WCB), Jacoby was offered almost endless opportunities to build his skills, expand his repertoire, and perform at gigs. He also began drum lessons with the “very talented” Gavan Moncrieff.
But this was 2020 and Covid relegated their lessons to Webex meetings—with the inevitable challenges of not being in the same room—and the sound delays.
Despite this, Gavan and Jacoby pushed through. The highlight of these difficult years was Jacoby’s purchase of his first drum kit.
“It was a second-hand Green Pearl, and although I’ve still got it, I’m now using a Green Yamaha kit.”
Back at school in Year 9, Jacoby was part of the bands, ‘Kewpie Dolls & One Dude’ and ‘Mossarium’ as well as the college’s performance band under the guidance of someone Jacoby describes as “a legendary mentor”, Chris Blackshaw.
Jacoby graduated from WCB in 2023 as their Musician of the Year and continues to take external music lessons with Gavan as part of his VCE programme.
“I owe so much to these three teachers—Dan, Gavan and Chris—for their guidance and support, and the crazy ‘Road Trips on Tour’ they organised so we could play at schools all over Bendigo.
“I would also now add Ash Bird and Jacquie Tolhurst to that list, because studying VET Music Performance has been such a great learning experience.
“Actually, my other BSSC teachers—Lucy for English, Angie for Advisor and History of Revolutions, and Emily for Theatre Studies—have also been fantastic. I want to thank them for all their help and support.”
During Year 11, Jacoby competed in the prestigious Victorian Schools Instrumental Championships. He decided to perform a piece he knew really well—despite it not being especially technically challenging.
“I wanted to perform confidently and faultlessly, rather than go in all guns blazing!”
It proved a good decision: out of 300 competitors, Jacoby finished in the top 10 in his category.
Jacoby’s a big fan of rock and metal music and drummer Gabe Helguera. He especially enjoys the YouTube clip of Helguera playing ‘I Prevail’.
During Year 11 Jacoby was part of six bands, including the Bendigo Student Symphonic Orchestra and Bendigo Percussion Ensemble.
At the beginning of 2025 he decided to pull back from this hectic gigging schedule to concentrate on setting himself up to pursue music once he finishes Year 12.
Yet, despite the pressures of VCE, he’s also giving back. As one of four Music Leaders at BSSC, Jacoby is often assisting other students with their gigs, and is presently band leader for the college band.
If there was one thing Jacoby could change about the college it would be the allocation of SACs, because he’s occasionally had quite a few land in the one week.
Other than this, he says, “BSSC is like a treasure trove of things to explore and there are always so many interesting events going on.”
Unsurprisingly, doing music homework is no burden for this talented musician and Jacoby can see how much he continues to develop as a drummer.
If you’re looking for him, Jacoby can usually be found hitting the kit in BSSC’s music department.
“I don’t usually get too stressed about school,” he says, “but if I do, I use deep breathing and stretching—and I consciously clear my mind to block out anything I’m worrying about.
“I’m so grateful to my parents who are always there for me, who listen to me, and simply allow me to be myself. They are so supportive—and always helping cart my drumkit to gigs!”
While music is Jacoby’s core focus, selecting History of Revolutions has brought the chance to understand something of his own heritage more deeply.
“I already knew my great grandfather came to Bendigo from China for the goldrush, and my family has always been very involved with the Golden Dragon Museum,” he says. “But I wanted to understand more about the revolution in China during the 20th century. It’s been great to learn more about this.”
If Jacoby could go back and give his 12-year-old self some advice, he’d tell himself a couple of things.
“First, this is the best time of your life—you don’t want to look back with regret.
“Second, yes, it’s bloody hard sometimes, but there’s lots to look forward to and so many interesting and talented people you haven’t met yet.
“Get on board the crazy train, discover all you can about yourself, and be the best you can be!”
