Bio

Kenneth Metzker holds a Bachelors Degree in Music Performance as a Percussionist from the University of Kentucky under the direction of James B. Campbell. He began his Afro-Cuban studies with Michael Spiro, which led him to study with many other notables in the Afro-Cuban genre. He traveled to Matanzas, Cuba to study Afro-Cuban folkloric music with world renowned Los Munequitos de Matanzas. His work has taken him to Cuba, Brazil, Europe, and the Caribbean as a performer, teacher and student. He has spent time in the northeast of Brazil collaborating and performing with various bands and dance companies, including Cia. Vata and Dona Zefinha, with whom he performed in Recife, and Olinda, Pernambuco for Carnaval '05. He has taught at the University of Whitewater summer percussion workshop, at past “Rhythm Explosion” workshops in Montana and at the University of Alaska, Anchorage, Jazz Week in 2005, where he collaborated and performed with Rebeca Mauleon and Jimmy Branley. He has worked as a dance accompanist in numerous settings, including the Florida Dance Festival in Miami, New World Schoool of the Arts, and for Brazz Dance Theatre. Kenneth was a participant in the Third World Marimba Competition in Stuttgart, Germany (2002) and has had an original composition premiered with the University of Kentucky percussion ensemble at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (2001). Kenneth has performed at the Jackie Gleason Theatre in Miami, Florida for the “Annual Brazilian Film Festival” as part of the awards ceremony. He performed in Rio de Janeiro for the bi-annual A.S.W.A.D. (Association of African Studies on Worldwide African Diaspora) conference with Brazz Dance Theatre in October (2005). Kenneth has taught at universities as a clinician and guest performer and is currently working with Brazz Dance Theatre, directed by Augusto Soledade; as an accompanist for New World School of the Arts; teaches in the Miami school system with Arts for Learning and freelances in Miami recording and playing in live venues.