Since 2009, the GRAMMY-nominated Los Angeles Percussion Quartet (LAPQ) has forged a distinct identity as a world-class contemporary chamber music ensemble that is dedicated to commissioning and presenting new works for percussion quartet. Originally, members Nick Terry, Matt Cook, Justin DeHart, and Cory Hills joined together to create a classical percussion ensemble that would champion the important contributions of 20th century West Coast composers while collaborating with local artists to continue the tradition of innovation and exploration. Today, the group continues their mission while broadening creative output through recordings, performances, and educational outreach.
LAPQ’s partnership with Sono Luminus Records has contributed some of the most dynamic and realistic recordings of percussion music to date. Rupa-Khandha, LAPQ's seminal album recorded at Skywalker Ranch in Marin, CA, pioneered a new level of sonic achievement in 2012 as the first 7.1 surround-sound high-fidelity recording of percussion chamber music. The quartet’s recorded performance was praised by Neue Musikzeitung for presenting "the entire color-spectrum of global percussion instruments intelligently and with great competency,” while Percussive Notes hailed LAPQ's commitment towards "championing composers of thought-provoking and uncompromisingly intelligent music." The album won multiple nominations in the 55th GRAMMY Awards, including the prestigious category of Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance. In 2014, LAPQ released their second surround sound album with Sono Luminus Records, entitled The Year Before Yesterday, featuring works by Shaun Naidoo, Eric Griswold, Nick Deyoe, Isaac Schankler, Joseph Pereira, and PAS Hall of Fame member William Kraft. The album was hailed by the New York Times as "mesmerizing," with "colorful, atmospheric and...supremely melodic music."
LAPQ’s performances range in scope from living room salons, art museums, and warehouses, to appearances in distinguished concert series, including Festival Mozaic, Laguna Beach Music Festival, Percussive Arts Society International Convention showcases, Southern California Marimba Competition, Monday Evening Concerts, Music and Conversations, People Inside Electronics, Morrison Artists, Fullerton Friends of Music, April in Santa Cruz, L.A. Composers Project, and a concerto with the South Dakota Black Hills Symphony Orchestra. Equally committed to outreach and education, the quartet currently presents workshops and masterclasses to young musicians at middle schools, high schools, and universities, such as the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, University of Southern California, California Institute of the Arts, Chapman University, Stanford University, CSU Sacramento/Bakersfield/East Bay/Long Beach, and Occidental College.
The individual members of the group are all active freelance performers and educators residing in Southern California. Collectively, they are graduates of America's leading music institutions, including USC, UC San Diego, California Institute of the Arts, Oberlin Conservatory, and Northwestern University. The members of Los Angeles Percussion Quartet are proud Yamaha Performing Artists and endorsers of Innovative Percussion, REMO, Black Swamp Percussion, and Sabian Cymbals.
