Percussion with Sae H.

I am a Japanese born, NYC-based percussionist. I recently graduated with my Masters from the Juilliard School, where I also got my Bachelor’s. I am currently a member of Ensemble Connect, a teaching artist program based at Carnegie Hall. I mainly perform classical music as a freelance orchestral percussionist in the Tri-state area. I serve as the principal timpanist of Symphony in C, a NJ-based orchestra, and have performed with the Metropolitan Opera and New York Philharmonic. I am also active in contemporary and avant-garde / improvised music scene in NYC, frequently performing the music of John Zorn as a vibraphonist. Teaching has been a big passion in my life, and I have taught students from elementary school level to adults in an Evening Division program since I was in college. Currently, I teach at a public high school in NYC as part of my fellowship program, and love keeping a roster of private students. Besides playing orchestral instruments, (snare drum, timpani, etc) I also love playing mallet instruments (vibraphone, marimba, xylophone) and a wide variety of genres on the drum set, cajon, and pandeiro. Playing percussion is irresistably fun and I love sharing that with other people! It improves your innate sense of rhythm, and it is just so exhilarating to play good grooves. I like to make my lessons fun and meaningful, and I tailor the structure and the approach based on the student’s strengths and personality.