Adam Beard is an active Percussionist and Composer residing in New York City. As a percussionist, Dr. Beard performs contemporary works and has given performances with ensembles such as Darkwood, which he co-founded with bassoonist Joseph Swift and percussionist Daniel Pate, Resonant Refractions, the New Manhattan Sinonietta, DNA Percussion, the Stony Brook Contemporary Chamber Players, and the AURA Contemporary Ensemble. His performances have been seen in NYC and surrounding areas as well as in festivals and conventions throughout the United States, including the Percussive Arts Society International Convention, the Hot Air Music Festival, the SPLICE Festival, and the Chosen Vale International Percussion Seminar.
Dr. Beard composes works for chamber ensembles and soloists. His works focus on the exploration of rhythm and the interaction between layers of musical time. He received the Sarofim Composition Award for his piece Webs. Dr. Beard has composed works for ensembles such as Musiqa, the AURA Contemporary Ensemble, DNA Percussion and the Flauto d’Amore Project. His works have been performed throughout the United States.
As a music educator, Dr. Beard has taught students of all ages in a variety of settings ranging from music technology and band in NYC public schools, to private percussion lessons, marching percussion and percussion ensemble in Texas public schools, to music courses, applied percussion, and percussion ensemble at the undergraduate level at Stony Brook University. Currently, Dr. Beard serves as an Instructional Supervisor at Education Through Music. In this position he serves as a supervisor and mentor to music teachers serving grades K-12 in NYC public schools, assists with music curriculum development, and provides support with the creation and presentation of music teacher Professional Development sessions.
Dr. Beard’s educational pursuits culminated in a DMA in Percussion Performance from Stony Brook University, where his scholarly interests as a percussionist and composer focused on an exploration of how compositional systems influence unique temporal relationships in music. Dr. Beard’s principal percussion teachers include Eduardo Leandro, Blake Wilkins, and Alec Warren. His principal composition teachers include Rob Smith, Matthew Barnson, and Margaret Schedel.
