Brandon Draper has enjoyed a celebrated career as drummer, percussionist, producer, multi-instrumentalist and educator. In addition to freelancing and teaching, he currently performs as a solo artist, multi-instrumentalist. With the Turkish-Jazz group Alaturka, Draper recorded, co-mixed and performed on the 2013 release Yalniz (4.5 Stars - Best albums of 2013 - Downbeat Magazine). Brandon plays guitar with his father (a renowned Hammond B3 organist) in The Draper Family Band and he runs the acclaimed children's interactive music program Drum Safari with his wife of 21 years Teryn.
Draper has performed at many festivals, universities, concert halls, and conventions in the U.S. His extensive resume includes performances with both the New Mexico and Santa Fe Symphony Orchestras and the Kansas City Symphony. In contemporary and jazz settings, Draper has performed and/or recorded with Ottmar Liebert, DJ Logic, Donna Summer, Mose Allison, Steve Coleman, Dick Oatts, Mike Moreno, Bobby Watson, and Kevin Hays. He toured the U.S. with the live-tronica pioneers Particle and contributed work on the album Accelerator (2018). In past years he performed in the critically acclaimed world premiere of the new hiphop musical "Venice" in Los Angeles Fall 2010, and premiered his original work “Bass Darabukas” with Quixotic and the Kansas City Symphony in Spring of 2011. Draper was musical director and live drummer for Quixotic Fusion 2007-2012. He continues to write, consult and occasionally perform with the KC-based cirque group.
As an educator, Draper has taught at the University of New Mexico, University of Missouri-Kansas City, East Mountain High School, and multiple high schools throughout the Midwest and Southwest as a clinician and as world and marching percussion consultant. He has led master-classes at the Percussive Arts Society Day of Percussion in Kansas, Nebraska, and New Mexico, and performed at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention. He has also led workshops at Music Educators Association conferences in New Mexico, Kansas, and Missouri.
Currently Draper is on music faculty at the University of Kansas where he leads jazz drums and world percussion studio, Afro-Cuban Ensemble, sound design in Film and Media Studies, a First Year Fellowship professor, and is the director of Music Enterprise certificate combining music business and entrepreneurship. He is contemporary worship director at Trinity Lutheran Church in Shawnee KS. He holds a Bachelors degree in percussion performance from Bethany College, and a Masters of Music with distinction from the University of New Mexico.
Brandon proudly endorses Zildjian Cymbals, Vic Firth drum sticks, Audix microphones, and Meinl hand percussion.
"Draper mashes up his DJ and percussion talents into a world-music dance party with some of the most polyrhythmic beats you'll hear this side of the Atlantic Ocean. "
Lawrence.com
"Draper's excellence in hitting things with sticks -- will make everything in your life okay."
Pitch Magazine
"Folks, Drapers range of ethnic styles has me hooked!"
Santa Fe Reporter
“Brandon Draper does things on the drums that seem near-impossible. His intense beat keeps the fire burning all the time….”
KC Star
“…Brandon Draper’s a must-see and must-hear, at all costs.”
Berman Music Foundation
Draper has performed at many festivals, universities, concert halls, and conventions in the U.S. His extensive resume includes performances with both the New Mexico and Santa Fe Symphony Orchestras and the Kansas City Symphony. In contemporary and jazz settings, Draper has performed and/or recorded with Ottmar Liebert, DJ Logic, Donna Summer, Mose Allison, Steve Coleman, Dick Oatts, Mike Moreno, Bobby Watson, and Kevin Hays. He toured the U.S. with the live-tronica pioneers Particle and contributed work on the album Accelerator (2018). In past years he performed in the critically acclaimed world premiere of the new hiphop musical "Venice" in Los Angeles Fall 2010, and premiered his original work “Bass Darabukas” with Quixotic and the Kansas City Symphony in Spring of 2011. Draper was musical director and live drummer for Quixotic Fusion 2007-2012. He continues to write, consult and occasionally perform with the KC-based cirque group.
As an educator, Draper has taught at the University of New Mexico, University of Missouri-Kansas City, East Mountain High School, and multiple high schools throughout the Midwest and Southwest as a clinician and as world and marching percussion consultant. He has led master-classes at the Percussive Arts Society Day of Percussion in Kansas, Nebraska, and New Mexico, and performed at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention. He has also led workshops at Music Educators Association conferences in New Mexico, Kansas, and Missouri.
Currently Draper is on music faculty at the University of Kansas where he leads jazz drums and world percussion studio, Afro-Cuban Ensemble, sound design in Film and Media Studies, a First Year Fellowship professor, and is the director of Music Enterprise certificate combining music business and entrepreneurship. He is contemporary worship director at Trinity Lutheran Church in Shawnee KS. He holds a Bachelors degree in percussion performance from Bethany College, and a Masters of Music with distinction from the University of New Mexico.
Brandon proudly endorses Zildjian Cymbals, Vic Firth drum sticks, Audix microphones, and Meinl hand percussion.
"Draper mashes up his DJ and percussion talents into a world-music dance party with some of the most polyrhythmic beats you'll hear this side of the Atlantic Ocean. "
Lawrence.com
"Draper's excellence in hitting things with sticks -- will make everything in your life okay."
Pitch Magazine
"Folks, Drapers range of ethnic styles has me hooked!"
Santa Fe Reporter
“Brandon Draper does things on the drums that seem near-impossible. His intense beat keeps the fire burning all the time….”
KC Star
“…Brandon Draper’s a must-see and must-hear, at all costs.”
Berman Music Foundation
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