Duo Percussion

Duo Percussion is a professional percussion pairing known for their eclectic and high-energy performances.

Using traditional and non-traditional percussion instruments including marimba, vibraphone, drum set and brake drums, they present diverse programs of classical, contemporary and Canadian music. Founded by Brennan Connolly and Dave Robilliard, Duo Percussion is dedicated to expanding the percussion duo repertoire and attracting new audiences. Having commissioned a number of works by Canadian composers, they are committed to musical excellence and have a passion for fostering creativity. An ongoing recording project will soon culminate in the release of the pair’s first album.

Recognized for their educational work, Duo Percussion has performed and given workshops for numerous schools and community groups across Ontario. Founded in the spring of 2008, they were first engaged to perform at a secondary school in Ontario and with an outstanding response, the demand for the group was immediate. Now frequently engaged by schools throughout the region, the duo also performs in concert halls and community venues both in Canada and internationally. Recent appearances include the New Hamburg Live! Festival of the Arts, the Bach Music Festival of Canada, the Wolf Performance Hall in London, ON and the Ontario Music Educator’s 2012 Annual Conference. This coming May 2013, they will be the resident ensemble for the EduConcert series at MusicFest Canada in Toronto.

Duo Percussion is committed to furthering the education of aspiring young students. With concerts and workshops tailored to suit various educational levels, Duo Percussion has been able to help inspire and enhance the abilities of many young audiences by exposing them to a unique genre of music and immersing them into the world of percussion. The duo’s diverse programming uses common percussion instruments as well as innovative items found in daily activities in order to develop the limitless possibilities of percussion music. This motivates and fosters students with their exploratory and creativity skill set, as well as expands their musicianship.

Founded by Brennan Connolly and Dave Robilliard, Duo Percussion is a high-energy professional percussion pairing known for their eclectic performances. They present diverse programs of classical, contemporary and Canadian music. Duo Percussion is dedicated to expanding the percussion duo repertoire and attracting new audiences.

Recognized for their educational work, Duo Percussion has also performed and given workshops for numerous schools and community groups across Ontario. Now frequently engaged by schools throughout the region, the duo also performs in concert halls both in Canada and internationally. This coming May 2013, they will be the resident ensemble for the EduConcert series at MusicFest Canada in Toronto.

Brennan Connolly
Biography

An award-winning percussionist and educator, Brennan Connolly is the Musician-in-Residence for percussion at Wilfrid Laurier University where he directs the percussion ensemble and teaches studio percussion alongside several other percussion courses. He works regularly as a guest clinician, delivering workshops to students of all ages and supporting music educators across the province in their professional development. He is a founding member of Duo Percussion, a contemporary chamber percussion ensemble known for their high-energy performances and commitment to music education.

Brennan works as a professional percussionist across numerous musical genres and styles. He performs regularly with the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony and the Jeans ‘n’ Classics Rock Symphony and has also performed with the Hamilton Philharmonic, London Symphonia and Windsor Symphony Orchestra. An active theatre musician, he has also performed many shows in the pit at the Stratford Festival and with Drayton Entertainment.

Brennan holds a Master of Music degree in performance from Oklahoma City University and a Bachelor of Music degree in performance from the University of Western Ontario. For the last decade, he has been studying the traditional drum-dance music of Ghana, West Africa with master drummer Kwasi Dunyo.

Brennan is proud to hold artist endorsements with Pearl/Adams Drums and Concert Percussion, Dream Cymbals and Gongs and BlackSwamp Percussion.

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Duo Percussion | More Than Drums

Duo Percussion

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