Percussion (Click for studio web site)

Kristopher Keeton

New Faculty in 2009! Kristopher Keeton joined the School of Music faculty as Assistant Professor of Percussion in 2009.  Prior to his appointment at UNCG, he served on the faculties of Virginia Commonwealth University, the University of Richmond, Trinity International University and the Eastern Music Festival. Keeton, a member of the Percussive Arts Society (PAS) Keyboard Committee, is active as a soloist and as a member of the Sympatico Percussion Group.  He is a former member of the Eastern Philharmonic Orchestra, Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Owensboro Symphony Orchestra, and Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps.  Keeton’s performing credits also include the Chicago Symphony Orchestra MusicNOW Ensemble, Eighth Blackbird contemporary ensemble, Virginia Symphony, Louisville Orchestra, Chicagoland Pops Orchestra and Nashville Chamber Orchestra.  He performed several concerts across Europe in January 2008 with the professional Swedish percussion ensemble Global Percussion Network.  Keeton made his Carnegie Hall debut in March 2008, performing as featured soloist with the VCU Wind Ensemble. Keeton has been a featured artist/clinician in multiple settings, including universities, music festivals, state and regional music education conferences, PAS “Days of Percussion” and the Midwest Clinic.  Keeton’s scholarly work has been published in Empirical Musicology Review and Percussive Notes.  As both keyboard specialist and drummer with the Mr. Jack Daniel’s Original Silver Cornet Band, he performed at various venues and festivals across the country.  Keeton has appeared as a performer and soloist at multiple Percussive Arts Society International Conventions.  As a recording artist, he can be heard playing drum set on the Hillvue Heights and Stable Music recording labels and as a percussionist on trumpeter Rex Richardson’s upcoming CD release.  Keeton is a candidate for the Doctorate of Musical Arts degree at the Northwestern University School of Music, where he received a Master’s degree in Percussion Performance and Literature.  He received a Bachelor’s degree in Percussion Performance from Western Kentucky University.  Keeton has studied with acclaimed percussionists Michael Burritt and Christopher Norton, James Ross of the Chicago Symphony, and drum set artists Chester Thompson and Paul Wertico.  Kristopher Keeton is a Yamaha Performing Artist and an artist/educator for Innovative Percussion and Zildjian. kskeeton@uncg.edu 336-334-5186

Thomas Taylor

Thomas Taylor has been teaching at the University North Carolina at Greensboro as drum set professor since 2004. He is in great demand all over the Southeast for his performance as well as teaching abilities. Thomas is also one of the drum set instructors for the Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz camps. He has performed with Ellis Marsalis, Kenny Garrett, Eric Alexander, Kevin Mahogany, Vanessa Rubin, David Baker, Bill Charlap, Cedar Walton, Mulgrew Miller and many others in concerts and clinics. Thomas has taught and performed at many festivals including The Northeastern State University Jazz Festival in Talequah, Oklahoma, The University of Louisville Jazz Week, The UNC Jazz Festival, IAJE conference in Toronto, The Ethno Jazz Festival in Moldova, The Odessa International Jazz Carnival in Ukraine, and served as an ambassador to the state of North Carolina by performing at the U.S. Embassy in Chisinau, Moldova. He has also been a performer and clinician in Japan , Alaska , Hawaii , and all over the continental United States . Thomas earned the Bachelor of Music degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 1991. Since that time he has taught at several Universities and Colleges, toured nationally and internationally, and recorded with local and national artist. 336-256-0106 or email: ThomasDrum@aol.com