There won't be any opera or ballet in London's oldest opera venue - instead you are invited to join the percussion section of the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, alongside a stellar line-up of guest artists.

Master classes and workshops
You can to take part in workshops, activities and master classes with some of the finest players in Europe including drummer Ash Soan (plays with Adele, Seal, James Morrison, Sinead O'Connor, Robbie Williams etc), vibes player Mike Mainieri, Marinus Komst from the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam, Wieland Welzel from Berlin Phil and Damien Manning from the Lion King.

World premiere
The 2012 Day of Percussion (in association with the Percussive Arts Society) also offers performances by various musicians, including a world premiere by British composers Anna Meredith and the ROH's very own Simon Archer, performed by students from the Junior Departments of the Royal Academy of Music, Royal College of Music, Trinity, Guildhall and the Royal Northern.

Mini trade show
The event is also a trade show, with the whole of the Paul Hamlyn hall taken over by manufacturers of drums and percussion instruments giving people the opportunity to try out different instruments.

These include likes of sponsors Bell Percussion, Zildjian, Southern Percussion, abpercussion, Yamaha, and Sabian as well as by a rising tide of British artisans such as Matt Nolan and Henry Potter and co.

The latter was founded in 1810 by an officer in the Coldstream Guards, and still makes Baroque timpani and custom-built drums for orchestras all over the world, as well as servicing and repairing a wide range of percussion.

Matt Nolan hand makes cymbals and drums for the likes of Björk, Massive Attack and Dame Evelyn Glennie.