BOB BECKER

A founding member of the percussion ensemble NEXUS, Becker has appeared as soloist with the New York Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony, the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Cleveland Orchestra among many others. In 1999, he and the other members of NEXUS were inducted into the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame. His performing experience spans nearly all of the musical disciplines where percussion is found. He has appeared as tabla soloist in India and has accompanied many of the major artists of Hindustani music. As a regular member of the ensemble Steve Reich and Musicians, he has appeared as soloist with the Israel Philharmonic, the New York Philharmonic and the London Symphony and recorded for Deutsche Gramophone, EMI and Nonesuch.

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SAMMY K (Kestenholtz)

Grammy-nominated musician Sammy K (Kestenholtz) began his professional career at the age of 13. Sammy works with school jazz and rock bands around the U.S. and Canada as a guest clinician, and has been the Drum Line Instructor for multiple award winning high school programs. He created the Groove Boot Camp program of intense Drum Set instruction. Currently based in Los Angeles, Sammy K has performed and/or recorded with a list of artists that includes Michael Orland (American Idol), Engelbert Humperdinck, Wes Anderson, Lucy Lawless, Burt Bacharach, Jon Hendricks, Jimmy Heath, Zara (Dire Straights, Bob Geldof), Buselli/Wallarab Big Band, Bobby Vinton, Dave Brubeck, Harry Connick Sr. and the Los Angeles Laker Band.

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JOHN TAFOYA

John Tafoya serves as chairman of the percussion department and is professor of percussion at Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music. From 1997 to 2007 he served as principal timpanist for the National Symphony Orchestra and has held previous principal timpani positions with the American Wind Symphony and the National Repertory Orchestra, among others. He was a featured clinician at the Virginia/D.C. Percussive Arts Society's Day of Percussion and at PASIC 2002 and 2006 (Percussive Arts Society International Convention).

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