ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´

• Jazz and rock groups in local clubs
• Musicals in professional venues
• Church services
• Greater Rochester Women’s Philharmonic
• Women in Music Festival
• George Eastman House Recital Series
• Oratorio Society Orchestra
• Audition to present an Honors Recital every year
• ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ Annual Concerto/Aria Competition

Past Performances

• International Percussion Rochester Festival
• Rochester Convention Center
• New York State School Music Association Conference
• East Rochester Percussion Showcase

Guest percussion artists are a regular feature on campus and provide one-on-one interaction with percussion primaries and  secondaries. Recent guest artists include:

• Gregg Bendian, drum set and improvisation
• Ritsuko Matsumoto, marimba
• Barbara Merjan, broadway drummer
• Kunihiko Komori, marimba
• Ed Thigpen, jazz drumming great
• Dave Mancini, drum set and composition
• Gifford Howarth, marimba
• Pink Martini samba workshop
• Bill Cahn, percussion and improvisation
• Michael Burritt, marimba
• Frank Valenti, show percussion with electronics
• Tony Micelli, jazz vibraphone; owner of

The Percussion Studio makes regular outings to attend concerts in the Rochester area including:  

• Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra
• Bush Mango African Drum and Dance
• Joe Locke
• Evelyn Glennie
• Maelstrom Percussion Ensemble
• Blue Man Group
• Stomp and Blast!
• Dean Keller's Soul Jazz Joint
• The Rita Collective

Ryan Farnung (Music Education)
Ryan has been teaching percussion lessons for 23 years at a variety of Rochester-area studios as well as his own home studio. He works with several dozen students of all ages and experience levels, focusing on drum set, snare drum, and mallet percussion studies. As a performer, he is the drummer for the Indie-rock band, The Demos and also works as a freelance musician.

Victoria Valente (Music Education)
Victoria (Tori) Valente is a music educator and performing percussionist in the
Rochester, NY area. Tori earned her Bachelor of Music in Music Education (‘14) and Master of Science in Music Education (‘16) from ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´, where she studied under Kristen Shiner McGuire. Tori started her career as a music educator in the Brockport Central School District in 2014. Tori directs the Brockport High School Band, Blue Notes, Pit Orchestra, and has founded and directs the Percussion Ensemble. She also cofounded and advises the Brockport Tri-M Music Honor Society, as well as teaches elective courses such as AP Music Theory, African Drumming, and Music & Technology. Outside the walls of Brockport, Tori loves to spend time with her family and friends (especially her daughter, Theodora) and perform with The Flowerhead Folks. She is an active member of NAfME, NYSSMa, and an officer (Solo Festival Coordinator/Percussion Coordinator) of MCSMA.

Greg Best (Music Business)
Greg Best (AKA BestEver) is a producer, music director, songwriter, multi-
instrumentalist, and vocalist. His unique musical intuition soars across genres, and he is known for helping artists discover themselves. See more about what he is doing here: Ìý²¹²Ô»åÌý

Jamison Brooks (Performance)
Jamison Brooks is employed at the Elite Preparatory Academy as the Admissions
Coordinator, Office Manger and Music Teacher. He brings a unique perspective to the admissions field, combining a deep passion for education with a global background in teaching and performance. With extensive experience working with students from diverse cultural and educational backgrounds, Jamison understands the importance of personalized learning and student support—key qualities in guiding prospective students through the admissions process.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in music performance from ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´,
Jamison traveled the world as a performer with Celebrity Cruise Lines, connecting with international audiences. Their experience teaching music in China further enriched their understanding of global education systems and student needs, strengthening their ability to support international students transitioning to U.S. academics. 

Jamison later earned a master’s degree in music education from the University of Florida, where they developed expertise in curriculum design and student engagement.

Elizabeth Humphrey (Music Therapy)
Elizabeth Humphrey is a music therapist, percussionist, and drum circle facilitator based in Western New York. She works at Community Music School in Buffalo, offering music therapy, adapted lessons, and community drum circles. She has presented at multiple conferences, sharing group drumming facilitation techniques that support humanistic and creative music therapy approaches. Elizabeth is a Co-Leader of Echo Music . She has provided group and individual therapy sessions at the Lipson Music Therapy Clinic, The Friendly Home, and Hochstein Expressive Arts.

Spencer Kornrich (Music Business)
Spencer is an independent musician and music instructor at AutismUp. After gaining performance experience as a drummer on Princess Cruise Lines and American Queen Voyages, he settled in Rochester and joined Public Water Supply. PWS now plays and tours in the North Eastern region, having performed at Grassroots Festival, Borderlands Festival, and Rochester Jazz Festival. He joined AutismUp in 2024 as a music instructor for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. He is also a solo pianist for hire, playing at local cocktail lounges and retirement communities. Spencer is grateful for the professors, ensembles, and resources at ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´, which helped him make a successful tradition into the music industry.

Adam Peck (BA in Music Theory)
After graduation from ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´, Adam moved to Los Angeles, California to pursue a career in music performance.  While performing as a drum set player for Lights on Fire, The Blinds, and Joyce Lee and the Killing Shoes, he became certified to teach Mathematics (grades 7-12) and Music Composition as an elective. This certification was granted due to his bachelor's degree in Music Theory. While working at YouthBuild he designed the framework for what would later grow into his Applied Mathematics Financial Literacy course.

He then moved back to New York in the southern tier and has been teaching High School Mathematics for GST BOCES at the Coopers Campus where he has been building an Applied Mathematics Financial Literacy Class.  His work on financial literacy as a pathway to graduation has contributed to the New York State Standards. He played Djembe for the Bruce Holler Trio and is now pursuing involvement with a digital music production company.