Career Highlights

Donna Summer's Crayons Tour

In the Summer of 2008, I performed on percussion with Donna Summer's touring band in Gilford, NH and Boston, MA (B of A Pavilion). Band included Warren Ham (utility player), George Pirelli (drums), and several other Nashville/LA session musicans.

The 2008 Festival Internacional de Los Nuevos Vientos Ecatepec & The 2006 Festival de México

My 21-piece band, Mr. Ho's Orchestrotica, performed my transcriptions of Mexican lounge king Juan Garcia Esquivel's mid-century space-age bachelor pad music, reintroducing Esquivel's musical output to his homeland. The Festival de Artes is Mexico's most prestigious arts festival. April 2006, October 2008. more...

Boston Pops "WGBH Orchestra"

Performed as section percussionist in freelance orchestra led by Pat Hollenbeck (Boston Pops) at the opening ceremonies of WGBH TV's new studios. Fall 2007.

2005 Hawaii International Jazz Festival

WAITIKI and Gabe Baltazar (Stan Kenton) headlined the closing show with a tribute concert to Martin Denny (I played piano). July 2005.

Newton Symphony at Carnegie Hall, NYC

Performed at Carnegie Hall as a section percussionist in a special performance of the "Yellow River Cantata." Fall 2002.

Solo concerto appearances with Sun Cities Symphony of the West Valley (Sun City, AZ) and the Northern Arizona University Orchestra (Flagstaff, AZ)

Winner of the 1999 Jennings Butterfield Young Artist Competition and NAU Orchestra Competition with Ney Rosauro’s Concerto for Vibraphone and Orchestra.

Additional notable performances with:

Northern soul artists: Archie Bell and the Drells, The Del-Larks, Laura Lee. Ernesto Diaz (percussionist, various). Peter Erskine (drummer). Wallace Roney (trumpet). Arizona Opera Orchestra, Flagstaff Symphony, Flagstaff Festival of the Arts Orchestra.

Recent ensembles and performances

Orchestral percussion freelancing:

• Mercury Orchestra, Cambridge, MA
• Hillyer July 4th Festival Orchestra, Salem, MA
• Merrimack Valley Philharmonic Orchestra (North Andover, MA)
• Charles River Sinfonietta Orchestra (MA)
• Brahms Society Orchestra (Cambridge, MA)
• Concord Orchestra (Concord, MA)
• New Bedford Symphony (New Bedford, MA)
• Quincy Symphony (Quincy, MA)
• Cape Ann Symphony (Gloucester, MA)
• Newton Symphony (Newton, MA)
• Longy School of Opera (Cambridge, MA)
• New England Philharmonic (Boston, MA)
• Longwood Symphony (Boston, MA)
• Wellesley Symphony (Wellesley, MA)
• Melrose Symphony (Melrose, MA)
• Summer MIT Symphony Orchestra (Cambridge, MA): Eastern European tour, 1999

Musical Theater

• Merrimack Valley Players (Methuen, MA): An Evening of Gershwin (Spring, 2008)
• Arlington Friends of the Drama (Arlington, MA): Carousel (April, 2007)
• Weston Friendly Society (Weston, MA): Annie (Winter, 2006)
• Maverick Productions, (Boston, MA): Company (2005)
• Marblehead [MA] Arts Festival with Steven Spungin Flamenco Group (2004)
• Footlight Club (Jamaica Plain, MA): A Very Carol Christmas (2003, 2004) (Featured Joey McIntyre in 2003!)
• Longwood Players (Boston, MA): Pippen (2002), and Cabaret (2003)
• Quannapowitt Players (Reading, MA): Cabaret (2003)

Jazz, world, eclectic, pop

• Mr. Ho's Orchestrotica: A 21-pc band playing my transcriptions of the space-age bachelor pad music of Juan Garcia Esquivel. (Artistic director, percussionist, pianist. 2005-present)
• Mr. Ho's Orchestrotica Mini: Quartet performing tiki, jazz, and modern sounds (Artistic director, vibraphonist. 2009-present)
• Fa Diyez Ensemble: (Ottoman Classical ensemble) (percussion, 2009-current)
• Choros Com Chocolate: (Brazilian choro ensemble) (pandeiro, 2009-current)
• Aljashu: (Sephardic music ensemble) (percussionist, 2009-current)
• Klezwoods (klezmer ensemble) (percussionist, 2009-current)
• Newpoli: Southern Italian Folk Music (percussionist, 2009-2010)
• KAFANA: (Balkan-inspired jazz) (percussionist, 2009-present)
• La Tuza: Mexican Roots Music: Specializing in Son jarocho, huasteco, calentano (percussionist, vocalist, 2007-present)
• Jazz Factory Orchestra: vibraphone (full-time) and drumset (substitute). (2008-present)
• Orchestra of This: Percussionist and vibraphonist for progressive, 3rd-stream jazz led by Matthew Joy on guitars. (2007-2009)
• Gato Malo Orchestra: Drumset, organ, percussion in this NOLA-style RnB, soul, blues band. (2005-2008)
• WAITIKI: Polynesian lounge/exotica/tiki quartet. Vibraphone & percussionist, composer. (2003-2007)
• See my bands page for a list of groups I play with.

Multimedia and Recordings

• Mr. Ho's Orchestrotica: (TBD Double Album) (2010, independent)
• Klezwoods: Oy Yea! (2010, Accurate Records)
• La Tuza: Son del Otro Lado (2009, Independent)
• Gato Malo Orchestra: Organ on 2008 debut album (TBD, Independent)
• The Klezwoods: (Title TBD) (2009, Independent)
• WAITIKI: Rendezvous in Okonkuluku - 2007 (Independent)
• Paradise Lost and Found: Songs of Hawaii Old and New - 2007 (FMM-R-144)
• WAITIKI: Charred Mammal Flesh, Exotic Music for BBQ - 2005 (Independent)
• See my Compositions page and Projects page

TV & Radio Performances

• June 2010: Klezwoods live performance on WUMB's Folk Odyssey w/ Dana Westover
• April 2006: WAITIKI Orchestrotica’s show for the Festival de Mexico is recorded and produced for Canal 11 TV (Mexico City, Mexico)
• June 2005: WAITIKI performs a taste of our 2005 HI Jazz Festival program on KHON TV morning news (Honolulu, HI)
• April 2005: WAITIKI performs on the Overnight Freeform Show on Pittsburgh’s NPR Affiliate WYEP, 91.3FM
• February 2005: Gato Malo performs on Boston Emissions, WBCN, 104.1 FM
• May 2004: Leah Callahan performs on Sunday Nights with Carmelita on Boston’s WAAF, 107.3

Electronics/Digital Music Production

• Intermediate experience with MIDI instruments, hardware synthesizers and soft-synths (primarily keyboard synthesizers from the 1990s)
• Intermediate experience with MIDI sequencing (electronic music production and composition) on MasterTracks Pro, Studio Vision Pro, Garage Band
• Managed a MIDI lab for Music Works Academy for 2 years (1993-1995)

Education

• 2004-current: intermittent study with: Raquy Danziger (doumbek), Glen Velez (frame drum), Jamey Haddad (frame drum, rhythmic systems), Rusty Scott (jazz theory and comping), Jerry Leake and Jon Singer (tabla).
• 2002: Brazilian Percussion Tour. With a group of various collegiate professors and students from Long Beach, CA, studied Brazilian folkloric music, samba, capoeira, and candomble for two weeks in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
• 1999: Graduated Summa Cum Laude from Northern Arizona University with a Bachelor’s of Music in Percussion Performance.
• 11 years of formal piano studies (age 6-17)

Professional Affiliations

• Member, American Federation of Musicians / Boston Musicians' Association (BMA)
• Member, Percussive Arts Society (PAS)

References

Pat Hollenbeck

Percussionist and arranger, Boston Pops
President of Boston Musicians Local 9-535, American Federation of Music
617.212.9840
patorch@msn.com

Nancy Zeltsman

Marimbist & Professor
Berklee College of Music and Boston Conservatory
Boston, MA
617.825.7799
nancy@nancyzeltsman.com

Dr. Steven Hemphill

Professor & Director of Percussion Studies
Northern Arizona University
School of Performing Arts
Box 6040
Flagstaff, AZ 86011
520-523-3739
Steven.Hemphill@nau.edu

© 2010 Me, myself, and I.
brian@crashandboom.com | Twitter: @crashandboom
617.905.9660