KIRK BRUNDAGE

Kirk got his professional start in his native up-state New York, playing for many years with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, and as a member of the Maelström Percussion Ensemble. He earned a Fulbright to Denmark and an MFA from CalArts, before winning the International Solo Music Competition of the German Radio (Munich). Kirk performed many solo performances around the US and Europe. Inspired in his youth by Brazilian percussion legends Airto Moreira, Naná Vasconcelos, and Paulinho da Costa, Kirk's adventurous spirit eventually took him to Cuba and Brazil to explore new musical horizons. In Cuba he studied the popular and folkloric drumming traditions with the Los Muñequitos de Matanzas and Roberto Vizcaino.

While in the United States he studied with African master drummers Bernard Woma (Ghana) and Malik Sow (Senegal). But it was traveling to historical and mystical Salvador Bahia, Brazil, that Kirk's passion became the roots of samba, sacred music of candomblé, and the latest carnaval innovations. This culminated in the rare distinction of a non-Brazilian playing in carnaval with the renown percussion ​group Olodum. As a REMO Artist, Kirk has taught at UCLA and in Taiwan. He appeared at PASIC in support of his book series, published by Alfred, Afro-Brazilian Percussion Guide. Kirk has self-released two percussion CDs: Percussion Music from the US and Europe, and TRIBUTE - An Homage to Master Drummers and Teachers in Salvador Bahia, Brazil. Kirk's work has been reviewed in Modern Drummer and Percussive Notes magazines—plus featured on Brazilian Television.

PROGRAMS