Cymraeg

Welcome to my website, where you can find out about my work as a performing and recording musician and as a tutor at Vale Drum Studio. Please take a look and have a listen,
and if I can help you, get in touch:
I'd love to hear from you.

Iolo
  • “iolo is an amazing teacher. He is friendly and every lesson is a giggle. I have my lessons in Welsh which is amazing. I would definitely without a doubt recommend giving the drums a go with iolo!”
    AJ (student)

  • Tutors: Kathy Green; Colin Woolway; Erik Stams.

    Post-Graduate Diploma in Jazz Performance: Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama under Paula Gardiner, Elliott Bennett, Mark O'Connor and Martin France.

  • A really sensitive percussionist... a truly generous musician
    Keith Tippett, Jazz Legend

  • One of the finest percussionists I have ever had the privilege to work with - and a good sport to boot!
    Mark Latimer, British piano legend

  • sensational...could have come straight off an ECM recording
    thejazzmann.com

  • a swaggering backbeat that Led Zeppelin would have been proud to strut their stuff to
    Sid Smith, BBC Music

  • Subtle and sophisticated drums and percussion
    Suite101.com

  • I never cease to be amazed at the subtleties of shading Iolo Whelan gets from his drumkit
    David Kidman, NetRhythms

  • An outstanding musician and an inspirational character to know and work with
    Gaz Williams, Producer/Rock God in human form (William D Drake, Martin Carr, Charlotte Church, Akira the Don)

  • Whelan's percussion is intelligent and his use of cymbals to add colour to the music clearly shows his jazz training
    Seán Laffey, Irish Music Magazine

  • split-second timing
    Taplas Magazine 2010

  • I've never encountered anyone else who picked up my toons so quickly!
    Mark Latimer, British piano legend

  • the bedrock upon which everything else is built
    Suite101.com

  • a richly textured solo that was immaculately constructed and always maintained a sense of melody and an inner logic
    thejazzmann.com