Drew Parent is a versatile percussionist, music educator, clinician, composer and arranger. His experience includes teaching and performing in a variety of percussion areas, including drumset, mallet percussion, orchestral percussion, marching percussion, and improvisation. He has lived a life rich in musical exploration, starting at the age of seven with piano lessons, followed by guitar, bass, saxophone, and finally percussion. Drew holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Saginaw Valley State University, a Master’s of Music in Percussion Performance from Central Michigan University, and a Specialist Certificate in Jazz Improvisation from Berklee College of Music Online. Drew has had the privilege to study with Andrew Spencer, Gary Burton, Gwendolyn Dease, Jonathon Ovalle, Eric Shinn, Tony Rongo, Colin Mcnutt, Lee Beddis, Chris Hestin, Martin Hotte, Richard Hogan, Greg Cole, Robbie Smith, and Jeff Hall.
Since the beginning of his teaching career, Drew has worked with students ranging from young beginners to music majors studying in college. During his undergraduate studies, Drew taught for a number of high school music programs in central Michigan working with drumlines, percussion ensembles and private students. While he was in graduate school, Drew was appointed the position of percussion graduate assistant at Central Michigan University. He taught undergraduate applied lessons, percussion methods for music majors, coached percussion ensemble, and instructed the Chippewa Marching Band Drumline. After graduate school, Drew moved to metro Detroit where he taught percussion at Lake Orion HS and Lamphere HS. He also started the percussion studies program at Expressions Music Academy in Novi, MI and taught at Axis Music in Birmingham, MI. From the fall of 2013 through the spring of 2015, he was professor of percussion, jazz, and music theory at Trine University in Angola, IN. During his time in Indiana, Drew also worked with the ISSMA Class C state finalist Angola High School Marching Band and Class A state finalist Carroll High School.
Currently, Drew is the Drumline Director for The University of Toledo Rocket Marching Band, Percussion Director at Findlay High School in Findlay Ohio, and is on faculty at Owens Community College. He also performs around the Midwest region with various orchestras, bands, jazz artists, and solo singer/songwriters. His current projects include Rela Percussion, solo vibraphone/marimba playing, and the DJ Jazz Duo."
