STAFF

The staff of the Academy of Percussive Arts is comprised of instructors and musicians that are possess the education, discipline, maturity, versatility and aptitude to teach all levels of percussion.   

As a student, from beginner to advanced, the staff is able to evaluate, recommend and teach not only techniques but provide an understanding.  The staff of the Academy of the Percussive Arts works as a team to ensure that the students perform to their potential.

MEET THE STAFF

                                                     
                                                            Rob “Rob” Kessling

    Rob grew up in many different places, as the son of a Navy Chief. His musical training began at the age of 8. Rob received his Bachelors of Music Cum Laude in 1999 from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA.  Rob has played and taught professionally since the age of 16.

    Percussively speaking, he is presently a member of The Jackson Symphony Orchestra in Jackson, TN.  Rob has studied with the some of the world’s finest percussionists including Gary Werdeshiem (Professor of Percussion retired, Florida State U), Alan Abel(Ass. Principal of the Philadelphia Philharmonic retired), and Richard Albagli (Professor of Percussion SUNY Albany, Albany Symphony).

    On the drum set, Rob has performed in virtually any and every professional situation including 5 years as an active duty United States Navy band drummer, 3 years as a side man and band leader for the main show cruise ships bands, studio recording, clinics, pop concerts for orchestras, Broadway show pit orchestras and live performances/touring.

    Rob has toured extensively with commercial music including jazz, big band, funk, rock, heavy metal, country, Dixieland, and blues.  Rob feels his versatility is a key element that benefits young drummers in a positive manner.    

 

                                                  
                                                              Michael Karcz

    Michael Karcz received his Bachelor of Music degree from New England Conservatory in 1980.  He has studied timpani and percussion with Vic Firth, Fred Hinger, and Cloyd Duff.  From 1978 to 1992, he was second percussion/assistant timpani in the Springfield (MA) Symphony Orchestra, and has played in the Colorado Symphony, the Hartford Symphony, the New Hampshire Symphony, and the Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra in Boston.  He has played with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra since 1992, and has played with IRIS since its inception in 2000.

    In 2002, he and Jonathan Haas were the co-soloists on the Philip Glass Concerto Fantasy for Two Timpanists and Orchestra.

    He and his wife Sandy D’Amato have been married since 1989.  They live in Memphis with their four cats, who can be arranged neatly on a set of kettledrums.

                                                    
                                                              David Knowlton

    Dr. Dave S. Knowlton has his roots in Tennessee music and percussion.  In high school, he was a member of Briarcrest High School's (Memphis, TN) band.  In college, he was a member of Memphis State University's "Mighty Sound of the South" marching band and the University’s award-winning PASIC drumline.  Over the past twenty years, he has worked in six different states as a percussion instructor, marching band show designer, and clinician for middle schools, high schools, colleges, and drum and bugle corps.  In addition to his expertise in marching percussion, Dr. Knowlton actively studies West African, Cuban, Afro-Cuban, and Haitian drumming.  He is a member of Music Educator’s National Conference and the Percussive Arts Society, and he is a certified percussion judge through the Judge's Association of Mid-America.  Dr. Knowlton has authored and co-authored over twenty professional articles that deal with strategies for helping students think in more substantive ways.  In addition to Dr. Knowlton’s work in the field of music education, he is Associate Professor of Instructional Technology at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.  You can learn more about him on the Web at www.siue.edu/~dknowlt.

 

                                                                   Ed Murray

    Ed Murray graduated from New England Conservatory in 1983 where he studied with Vic Firth principal timpanist of the Boston Symphony. While in Boston, he studied with legendary drummer and educator, Allen Dawson. He traveled to New York City to study with the New York Philharmonic’s snare drummer, Buster Bailey for two years. After graduating Mr. Murray played Principal Percussion in the Mexico City Philharmonic. After winning the Memphis Symphony percussion job he was promoted to assistant principal where he currently performs. He can be heard in the pit orchestras for the traveling Broadway shows where he has played over sixty shows along with performing with music greats such as Aretha Franklin, YoYo Ma, Itzak Perlman to name a few. Mr. Murray enjoys teaching and feels that all his performance experience gives him a practical no nonsense approach to teaching.

                                                   
                                                              Felix Hernandez

    Felix is a percussionist native born to the beautiful island of Puerto Rico.  At the tender age of ten he began to learn the congas and gained vast experience learning and playing various styles of music.  That music includes Salsa, Rumba, Samba,Bossa Nova, Latin Jazz, Funk and folkloric music native to the Caribbean.  However, at the age of fifteen, he was given the great privilege of study with legendary Carlos “Patato” Valdez, Freddy Moreno, and many other percussion masters in the San Juan Area.

    On the Yoruba music he played with Papo Angarica, Sergio Yemayá and other local Lucumí musical groups. This experience transformed his skills as a percussionist.  In 1980 he began playing with various groups such as Calabó, José Caunedo, Espíndola Jazz Quintet, Conjunto de Jimmy Urbina, Tony Croatto, Orquesta Panamericana, Max Torres, Rafy Vera Calypso Steel Band, Angel “Cachete” Maldonado (director of Tacuafan) Folkloric Group, and Jíbaro Jazz, Kirk Whalum, and many more. 

    Now residing in the Mid South region of the United States, he maintains a busy gig schedule, and is also collaborating with different educational institutions such as St Mary’s School, Lausane Private School, Rhodes University and University of Memphis in seminars, concerts and clinics on Afro-Cuban folkloric history, Latin jazz, Afro-Cuban rhythms, and Afro-Puerto Rican folklore. At present he is the Band Leader of the Symbiosis Orchestra and percussion player for the A 440 band of John Williams.

                                                      
                                                                   Stan Head

    A Native Memphian, Stan Head Received a Bachelors of Music Education and a Masters of Music Education from Arkansas State University. After college Stan returned to Memphis and has taught here for 25+ years. Through this he has earned a reputation as one of this country’s finest percussion instructors. Many of his students have received high-profile music scholarships. One such student, Chris Deviney, is now the principal percussionist of the Philadelphia Orchestra.

    Stan has been instructed by teachers such as Jared Spears(former Professor of Percussion, Arkansas State U), John Raush(retired Professor of Percussion, Louisiana State U), and Paul Yancich of the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra.

    He is an active performer, clinician, adjudicator and timpanist of the Jackson Symphony Orchestra in Jackson, TN.

    Performance experience includes The Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Jackson Symphony Orchestra, The Northeast Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, and The Tupelo Symphony Orchestra.

 

The staff of the Academy of the Percussive Arts is comprised of instructors and musicians that possess the education, discipline, maturity, versatility and aptitude to teach all levels of percussion.