Bachelor of Music in Performance: Percussion

Turn your playing into a career with the most comprehensive percussion education found anywhere. As a percussionist majoring in performance, you will learn the skills, concepts, and methodology required to demonstrate professional-level proficiency on your principal instrument, whether that is drum set, hand percussion, vibraphone, marimba, total percussion, or steelpan. You’ll reach new levels of mastery through private lessons, which include proficiency-based final exams, percussion labs, and performance studies classes.

You will complete a performance portfolio, including a juried senior recital (supported by recital preparation lessons and classes) that meets current professional performance standards. Most students also engage in extracurricular and cocurricular concert performances, and each performance major participates in ensembles and public performances in the college’s recital halls and venues such as the Berklee Performance Center.

Additional activities available through the ensemble program may include recording sessions and on- and off-campus concerts, festivals, and tours. All of these experiences will help you develop a sufficient theoretical, conceptual, and philosophical background in the area of percussion performance such that you will be ready to work effectively with others and adapt to changes in the professional music environment.

In studying percussion at Berklee, you will follow in the tradition of outstanding Berklee alumni percussionists, including Abe Laboriel Jr. '93 (Paul McCartney), John Blackwell '95 (Prince, Justin Timberlake), Terri Lyne Carrington '83 (bandleader, Herbie Hancock, Diana Krall), Nate Morton ’94 (The Voice), Tako Hirano ’95, (Fleetwood Mac, Dr. Dre, Cirque du Soleil), and many more.