What is DrumChattr.com?
DrumChattr.com is your internet percussion hub! Discover thought provoking videos, important percussion news, and more! Engage in daily blog post related discussion, and share your thoughts with the community! Subscribe to the DrumChattr podcast to stay up to date and hear interviews from leading figures in the percussion world. Drumchattr.com: discover. engage. share.

Our Story
The idea of DrumChattr started in early 2010 when Tom, Dave, and Shane connected via the web. Each wanted a better way for percussionists all over the globe to connect, discuss, and experience quality web generated percussion content online. All in one place! The result was DrumChattr.com. After months of planning, meeting, and building, DrumChattr was launched on August 23rd, 2010.

Thomas Burritt received degrees from Ithaca College School of Music (BM – Education and Performance), Kent State University (MM), and Northwestern University (DMA). Active in the creation and performance of new music for percussion Burritt has built a reputation in chamber music, as a percussion soloist and a concert marimbist. He has performed regularly at the Leigh Howard Stevens International Marimba Seminar and was a featured faculty performer at the 2007 and 2009 Zeltsman Marimba Festival. In April 2004 Burritt performed in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall as member of the Hammers and Sticks Ensemble. Later the same year the Hammers and Sticks Ensemble released a CD on the Innova label featuring works by Steven Mackey, Zhou Long, Alvin Singleton, Alex Shapiro, Joseph Harchanko and Belinda Reynolds. As Percussion Soloist Burritt has been active performing percussion concertos by Steve Mackey, Joseph Schwantner, Michael Dougherty, David Maslanka and James MacMillan. Burritt has recorded for guitarist Eric Johnson and recording artist David Byrne. Burritt’s first solo CD recording: “All Times Identical – New American Music for Marimba” was released in November 2006 and is available at GoFishmusic.com.  In 2009, Burritt was nominated for a Grammy for his performances on “Conspirare in Concert” distributed world wide on the harmonia mundi label. He is currently Associate Professor of Percussion and Director of Percussion Studies at the University of Texas at Austin and is a clinician for LLC/Malletech Instruments, Malletech Mallets and Zildjian Cymbals. For regular updates and other related information visit/subscribe to his video blog at www.thomasburritt.com.

Dave Gerhart holds a D.M.A. from the University of Southern California in Percussion Performance with a secondary emphasis in Music Education, Ethnomusicology, and Music Industry & Technology. Dr. Gerhart received a M.M. in Percussion Performance and Instrumental Conducting and a B.M. in Music Education from California State University, Long Beach. He has been featured on CDs with the Robin Cox Ensemble and Steven Hartke on Sonic Scenery for the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. As a freelance musician, Dave has performed under Zubin Mehta, Mehli Mehta, and has performed with Yo-Yo Ma, Bobby McFerrin, Michael Kamen, Yefim Bronfman, Ray Holman, and Robert Greenidge. His principle teachers include Dr. Michael Carney, Erik Forrester, Brad Dutz, and Raynor Carroll, principal percussionist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Dave is currently the director of the CSULB University Percussion Ensemble and the CSULB Steel Drum Band. He is also a member of the applied music faculty at CSULB. His compositions and arrangements for percussion ensemble and steel drum orchestra are published by Bachovich Music Publications. Dr. Gerhart is a founding member of the Island Hoppin’ Steel Drum Band and the IronWorks Percussion Duo and proudly endorses Yamaha Percussion Instruments, Innovative Percussion, and Evans Drumheads.

Shane Griffin is active as both a performer and an educator. He is currently pursuing his M.M. in Percussion Performance at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where he studies with Kevin Bobo. He earned his B.M. in Percussion Performance from Truman State University in 2010 under the instruction of Dr. Michael Bump. While at Truman State, Griffin was awarded the Presser Foundation Scholarship.