Tony Di Sanza
Professor of Percussion, Percussion Area Chair
Office: 1629 Mosse Humanities Building
Phone: (608) 263-1886
Email: adisanza@wisc.edu
Personal website: http://anthonydisanza.com/
Anthony Di Sanza, a recognized international performer and educator, has performed, presented master classes, and held residencies in North America, Europe and Asia. He has appeared as a visiting artist at over 45 colleges, universities and conservatories, and has performed as soloist and chamber musician in some of the world’s most important concert halls. Anthony can be heard on over 15 internationally distributed CD recordings with various artists, including; Sole Nero-Piano and Percussion Duo, Mark Hetzler Chamber Ensemble, Linda Maxey with Galaxy Percussion and Keiko Abe and the Michigan Chamber Players. In review of his 2011 solo CD release, On the nature of…, All Music Guide writes; “Di Sanza dazzles not only in the assurance and polish of his playing but in his tremendous vitality and spontaneity.” Anthony recently recorded Michael Udow’s multiple percussion concerto Moon Shadows for release in spring 2015.
Anthony has performed with numerous orchestras as timpanist or percussionist and currently serves as principal percussionist with the Madison Symphony Orchestra. He has performed/ presented at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) on eight separate occasions and regularly studies and performs music from Brazil and the Middle East. Anthony is regularly involved in the premiering of new works from a wide variety of composers, including; Akira Nishimura, Maki Ishii, Kaoru Wada, Nebojsa Zivkovic, Keiko Abe, Michael Udow, Dave Hollinden, Laura Elise Schwendinger, Les Thimmig, Joseph Koykkar, Payton MacDonald Jonas Tamulionis and Dennis Wilson.
Also a percussion composer, Di Sanza’s 1st concerto for darabukka (Middle Eastern goblet drum) and percussion quartet has been performed internationally and his second concerto, titled Time’s Arc, was premiered in 2013 at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention. He has works published with Alfred and HoneyRock and his book Improvisational Practice Techniques is published by RGM music. Anthony has a line of signature marimba mallets distributed by Encore Mallets and Black Swamp Percussion produces the Di Sanza Triangle Trigger, which he designed in collaboration with Black Swamp.
Anthony earned the Bachelor of Music Education degree from Youngstown State University and graduate degrees in percussion performance from the University of Michigan. Currently Professor of Percussion at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Anthony is an endorser of Encore Mallets, Black Swamp Percussion, Sabian Cymbals and Remo Drumheads, as well as an educational endorser of Pro-Mark Drumsticks.
The percussion studio has a very active YouTube page. Check it out!
Todd Hammes
Percussion Instructor
Office: 1629 Mosse Humanities Building
Phone: 608-263-1886
Email: tmhammes@aol.com
Individual Website: www.ToddHammes.com
In the world of percussion, Todd Hammes is a singular individual. Through his music – a fascinating, eclectic blend of classical, world and improvisational styles – Todd presents to the world his own unique inner vision of sound and music. Todd’s work includes performances both domestically and abroad, extensive musical composition, teaching and outreach programs to groups large and small. He has trained with some of the world’s leading percussionists and is a life-long student of the percussive arts. In 2005, Todd was awarded a prestigious McKnight Visiting Composer Residency from the American Composer’s Forum, which allowed him the opportunity to make music with people in assisted living situations. Todd has been studying Hindustani drumming with the great Pandit Sharda Sahai since 1993 and became his ganda-band disciple in 1998. Todd holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Arizona (1992) and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison (2010).
Tom Ross
Percussion Instructor
Office: 1629 Mosse Humanities Building
Phone: 608-263-1886
Email: tjross@wisc.edu
A native of Wisconsin, Thomas Ross has spent his young career exploring many styles of percussion. Starting in the Western Classical tradition, he became well versed as a marimbist, solo percussionist and an orchestral percussionist. For the past 10 years, Thomas has devoted much of his time and passion to studying, performing and teaching Brazilian percussion. He has presented masterclasses and lectures at multiple universities in the United States and is an active performer throughout the Midwest region.
Thomas is currently the Musical Director and President of The Handphibians Inc., a community based Samba School in Madison , Wisconsin, and is co-founder of Grupo Balança, an ensemble didicated to performing Brazilian Samba and Pagode. He has studied numerous styles of Afro-Brazilian music in Rio de Janeiro and Salvador do Bahia, Brazil. To date, Thomas has performed on three occasions at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) and performs regularly with the Madison Symphony Orchestra.
Thomas received the Bachelor of Arts degree in percussion performance from Northwestern University, and the Masters of Music degree in percussion performance from The University of Wisconsin – Madison. He is currently a dissertator for the Doctorate of Musical Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin. His principal teachers are Michael J. Burritt, Anthony Di Sanza, Michael Spiro, Maestre Jorge Alabé, Scott Kettner and Gregory Beyer.
