Principles of Percussion Technique, Artistry & Performance
Educational book series by Peter Russo, available for Pre-order
Biography
Peter Russo was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and studied at the North Carolina School of the Arts under Massey Johnson, a protégé of legendary timpanist Saul Goodman. He continued his studies in New York City with renowned percussionists James Preiss, Gordon Gottlieb, Glenn Velez, Roland Kohloff, and Steven Schick before earning his degree from the Mannes Music Conservatory at The New School for Social Research in 2001.
Over the next two decades, Russo built a diverse career in New York City and Los Angeles, performing with dance companies, Broadway productions, and contemporary music ensembles. He has received numerous accolades, including recognition from the National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts in percussion performance. His performance credits include Cirque du Soleil, the Brooklyn Symphony, the Winston-Salem Symphony, the Queens Symphony Orchestra, and LA’s Shakespeare Center, among others.
While dedicated to classical percussion performance and education, Russo is also a composer, primarily working in film. In 2023, he returned to his hometown of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where he runs his own percussion studio, focusing on educational projects, solo performance development, and recording.
He currently teaches out of his private studio in West End, Winston-Salem and is also on the teaching staff at The Guitar Shop of Elm Street in Greensboro. He welcomes new students from the triad area and is also available for freelance contract work.
Lessons in the Winston Salem/Greensboro area:
Whether you’re looking to master technique and improvisation or prepare for an audition at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in classical percussion, Peter Russo offers a comprehensive percussion education with a strong focus on drum set and marimba.
His Winston-Salem studio features a diverse range of instruments, including xylophone, marimba, vibraphone, timpani, drum set, and various hand percussion instruments such as kanjira, conga, pandeiro, tar, and riq. Peter’s instruction goes beyond technical proficiency, incorporating musicianship and musicology—covering sight-reading, theory, memorization, phrasing, and more.
As the author of Principles of Percussion Technique, Artistry & Performance (Volumes 1–7), Peter takes a holistic approach to percussion. He believes that developing confidence with any instrument is rooted in how we listen and engage with the everyday rhythms of life. Percussion is not an isolated skill—it is present in daily movements, from typing on a keyboard to driving a car or turning a key in a door. In fact, all instruments—whether guitar, piano, or violin—follow the same fundamental principles and can even be understood as percussion instruments from a technical perspective.
For beginners, Peter emphasizes core technique across both stick and hand percussion. Students are encouraged to have a snare drum as well as a conga (or a similar instrument) to develop organically, recognizing stick technique as an extension of the body. From there, Peter tailors a structured course plan based on each student’s preferences and chosen area of specialization within the vast and diverse world of percussion.