Founded in 2010, the O7 Drum Project began with no money, no instruments, and no place to rehearse.
"My journey with drums began in Portugal in 1997, with a project called Toca Rufar. I joined almost by accident, without knowing that it would change the tempo of my life entirely. Everything accelerated - stronger, louder, more focused. I learned to play. I became part of the collective. What started as curiosity quickly turned into passion, and then into a way of life.
A few years in, my path became clear. I began conducting the Toca Rufar Orchestra. I composed, taught, and choreographed. In front of hundreds of players, I felt fully alive - aligned with a purpose I had not known before. Alongside the project’s founder and director, Rui Junior, my mentor and a father figure, we helped reignite and empower Portugal’s drum tradition, sharing a vision for what it could become.
After thirteen years, that vision evolved. So did I. And naturally, our paths diverged."
Filipe Henda
Founder & Artistic Director
The O7 Drum Project was born in 2010, not long after Filipe Henda left Toca Rufar. At the time, he had no job, no money, no instruments, and no place to rehearse, yet somehow, O7 still found its way into existence.
The journey was shaped by ups and downs, resilience, and moments of clarity. It was carried forward by bright ideas, by friends, and by a small group of passionate people who believed in the project when belief was all there was.
Toca Rufar - Late 90's
Toca Rufar - Early 00's
The O7 Drum Project began when Filipe Henda brought together a group of students who wanted to continue learning with him after his departure from Toca Rufar. Once he was able to build the first drums, rehearsals began. At the time, the project was called Orquestra 7.
Rehearsals took place in a martial arts gym in Almada owned by Jaime Neves, whose support was fundamental in making the start of O7 possible. Everything was built with what was available at the time, shaped by collaboration, experimentation, and a shared commitment to growing together, step by step.
As time passed, O7 evolved into a small, elite group of players. Although the project never became large, its influence is still felt today among Portuguese percussion groups, not only in rhythmic approaches, but also in movement and choreography.
When Filipe Henda moved to the UK, he tried to keep the project alive in Portugal, but distance made it challenging. Eventually, the group dissolved. Many of his former students went on to join other projects, spreading their skills and raising the level wherever they performed.
Orquestra 7 - Circa 2014
Orquestra 7 - Circa 2014
In Luton, the journey began again with support from the University of Bedfordshire. Under the name Loud & Proud, a new group of passionate and dedicated people came together. With them, the project evolved once again and officially became the O7 Drum Project, a continuing story of collaboration, resilience, and shared rhythm.
O7 Drum Project - Circa 2019
O7 Drum Project - Circa 2019
Now based in Bedford, the O7 Drum Project stands at the threshold of a new era. With ongoing classes every Saturday, the focus is on building a new generation of players and creating powerful new performances.
The O7 Drum Project was reborn thanks to the joint leadership of Filipe Henda as Artistic Director and Richard Murray as Operations Director. Their collaboration, together with the support of Sheila Isnard, a pillar of the project since the very beginning, has helped shape this new chapter.
