HAL SCHRENK

Hal Schrenk’s music career started in the most unexpected way—one Halloween jamming with two Bic pens and a pair of plastic pumpkins. That groove sparked a lifelong passion, landing him in the local marching band’s snare corps before he hit double digits. By age eight, he was already winning percussion awards, and at ten, he played his first professional gig in a Canadian band competition that earned him a trip to Disneyland.

Since then, Hal has built a reputation as one of Canada’s most versatile and imaginative studio musicians. His discography includes over 300 drum and percussion tracks, and his creativity knows no bounds—using everything from vacuum hoses to cigarette lighters, rakes, and the ever-popular iron shovel to craft rhythm tracks.

A seasoned composer and producer, Hal’s music has been featured in award-winning films and TV series including Party of Five, Time of Your Life, and Renegade Press. His film credits include Apple Jack and Talker—the latter earning both national and international acclaim.

Hal has performed at top festivals across North America and beyond, including Lilith Fair, JUNOfest, the Western Canadian Music Awards, Canadian Country Music Week, the SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival, and even World EXPO in Shanghai. His talents have earned him coverage in music publications like Drums Etc., and his clinic series “The Drum Key” and school lecture series have received rave reviews.

His list of accolades includes a Juno Award, a Western Canadian Music Award, six SCMA Drummer of the Year Awards, and a Showcase Film & Video Award. He has also made the cut as one of the top ten nominees for the Canadian Country Music Association’s Drummer of the Year.

In recent years, Hal has served as Musical Director for a multitude of artists as well as several televised shows. He was also called upon to perform with Jann Arden for her Canadian Music Hall of Fame induction at the JUNO Awards—a nationally televised moment that was sadly canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He continues to tour and record with a diverse lineup of performers and has played with over 100 Canadian artists and bands—and even 75-piece symphonies—throughout his career. Notable names include:

• Tebey – A platinum-selling artist and award-winning producer, Tebey has achieved multiple #1 songs as a songwriter, including a Billboard US #1 with Justin Moore’s “Somebody Else Will.”

• Karli June – An emerging star in Canadian country music, Karli has garnered over 2.2 million streams and video views, with her debut EP Where You Come From earning four 2023 CMA Ontario Award nominations.

• Chris Buck – A seasoned artist who achieved a Canadian Gold Record with the hit single “That’s When You Know” featuring Kira Isabella, and his album Answers won the 2023 BCCMA Country Music “Album of the Year.”

“Hal Schrenk seems to have an almost pathological urge to push himself to the absolute limit of his abilities, creating an atmosphere of palpable tension that is simultaneously mesmerising, and just a little scary.”
— Brad Gilbey, Drums Etc. Magazine

* Brad Gilbey / Drums Etc. Magazine

Musician: Hal Schrenk

Location: Big Bang Studios