Percussion: Beyond Drums

Meet Percussionists Matt Persing.

A highly accomplished percussionist, Matt Persing has an extensive history of performing in a variety of idioms, including Classical, Chamber Music, Rock, and Jazz. He has been a longtime member of the Cape Ann Symphony, Nashua Symphony Orchestra, Indian Hill Symphony Orchestra, the Merrimack Valley Philharmonic, the Melrose Symphony Orchestra and a great many other groups in the region. He also has been in the orchestra pit for dozens of standard and original musicals.

Matt holds a Master of Music in Percussion Performance from Boston University and a Bachelor of Music from UMass Lowell. His private studies were guided by BSO Timpanist Tim Genis, renowned percussionist Jeff Fischer, marimba virtuoso Nancy Zeltsman, Jazz legend Alan Dawson, and Boston Pops legend Fred Buda.

Matt served as faculty at Indian Hill Music (1998–2005) and the Groton School (2001–2005), where he also originated the Groton School Steel Drum Ensemble. He has also provided private instruction at Maynard Public Schools and Lowell Public Schools.

Meet Percussionist Beth Munn Griffin.

Beth is a percussionist and pianist performing in numerous local orchestras and musical theater productions. She recently performed on keyboard for “Rent” at the North Shore Music Theatre. She has performed with the Cape Ann Symphony for more than 25 years and regularly performs with the Melrose Symphony, Concord Orchestra, Hillyer Festival Orchestra and Firebird Pops Orchestra. She received her music education degree from the University of New Hampshire and continued music studies at the Longy School of Music and Berklee. In addition to her performance schedule, Beth teaches private piano and percussion lessons, makes professional model piccolos for the Keefe Piccolo Company and is the staff choral accompanist for Tewksbury Memorial High School.

Prior to opening her music lesson studio, Beth worked for 21 years as a flute maker for Brannen Brothers Flutemakers, Inc. She was manager of the stringing (keymaking) department and the materials manager. Earlier in her career, Beth directed bands, jazz bands and orchestras for Norwood and Amesbury Public Schools at the high school and middle school levels and taught beginning instrumental lessons.

Outside of teaching and performing in classical and musical theater groups, Beth likes exploring and playing Jazz and World Music. She enjoys traveling, spending time with friends, attending concerts and relaxing at home with her husband Bill and pets.

Meet Principal Percussionist Frank Kumiega

Frank has been an orchestral percussionist and musical theater drum set player in the greater Boston area for more than 30 years. Currently he also serves as the principal percussionist with the Melrose Symphony Orchestra.

Frank has performed with numerous musical artists, conductors, ensembles and orchestras throughout Massachusetts and regionally with the New Hampshire Symphony, Nashua Symphony and Portland (Maine) Orchestra

Some of his most memorable performances have occurred in Boston’s Symphony Hall, New York City’s Carnegie, Avery Fisher and Alice Tully Halls, and with Garrison Keillor, host of the Prairie Home Companion radio show.

He has performed in Lisbon, Portugal for the President of Portugal, Mário Soares, and with the Nobeoka Philharmonic Orchestra (Japan) in Boston.

Recently, Frank has performed with notable musical artists: Máiréad Nesbitt, The Irish Tenors, Celtic Women and with the Symphonic Anime Tour in Boston.

Frank enjoys traveling, reading, exploring nature including bird watching, camping, hiking and snowshoeing.

Frank earned both his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the University of Massachusetts, Lowell.