ABOUT

RDS Drumline is a community-based drumming ensemble located in Birkenhead, South Australia. The ensemble rehearses at the Port Adelaide Caledonian Society Hall on Semaphore Road and operates as an inclusive, practice-led music initiative grounded in community participation and creative development.

RDS Drumline is directed by Dr Robert Boundy, founder and owner of Rob’s Drum Shed, a music education studio based in Birkenhead. Dr Boundy is a post-doctoral early career researcher in Musicology and has worked extensively in the field of popular music studies at the University of Adelaide. His doctoral thesis, Make a Change: The experience, identity and culture of pub rock music in Adelaide, South Australia (1962–1994), examines the cultural significance of Australian pub rock and proposes frameworks for measuring its local and global dissemination.

Dr Boundy is the author of two published pedagogical method books and serves as player-director of RDS Drumline. In addition to his academic and educational work, he is an active professional musician, currently performing as the drummer with Melbourne-based protometal/hard rock band Virgin Soldiers. His combined experience as a researcher, educator, performer, and small business owner informs a practice-led approach to community music-making.

RDS Drumline is composed primarily of students from Rob’s Drum Shed and reflects Dr Boundy’s commitment to inclusive music education. His work engages young people from diverse gender identities, neurodivergent backgrounds, and socio-economic circumstances, with a strong emphasis on accessibility, equity, and community cohesion. Through ensemble-based drumming, participants develop musical skills alongside confidence, collaboration, and social connection.