David Zerbe

David Zerbe, the Paul Cameron Russell professor of music, is the director of bands and percussion studies. He was the recipient of the Faculty Barlow Award in 2013 and the Outstanding Faculty Award for the Humanities in 2011. A founding member of the internationally acclaimed DMP recording group the Robert Hohner Percussion Ensemble, he has performed John Mackey’s Concerto for Percussion with the Alma Symphony, as a soloist for the Flint Symphony’s performance of Carman Moore’s Gospel Fuse and as a percussionist with the Midland, Saginaw, Traverse City and West Shore symphonies. He was also featured with the C.M.U. Jazz Lab 1 performance of Rob McConnell’s “I’ve Got Rhythm” at the Montreux International Jazz Festival and Buddy Rich’s Channel One Suite arrangement at the Elmhurst and Aquinas Jazz Festivals.

An active freelance musician, Mr. Zerbe has appeared with Aretha Franklin, Peter “Madcat” Ruth, Michael Feinstein, Marie Osmond, Harper and the Midwest Kind, Sharri Williams, Jive at Five and Rich Little. His Alma College Percussion Ensemble has been invited to perform 19 times at the Notre Dame Collegiate Jazz Festival, with vibist Joe Locke at the Port Townsend (Wash.) Jazz Festival and opened the 2009 Detroit International Jazz Festival, sharing the Chase Main Stage with the Hank Jones Trio and Chick Corea, Stanley Clark and Lenny White. He is the lead drummer and arranger for the percussion section of the Alma College Pipe Band. Dave Zerbe is the founder and director of the Legacy Percussion Orchestra, a professional percussion ensemble with a national membership, which was a headline act for the Lionel Hampton International Jazz Festival, John Clayton Artistic Director, on February 26, 2011.

Educational Background:

• BME, Central Michigan University (1991)
• M.M., Central Michigan University (1994)