JOSEPH PECK

Joseph  Peck  is  a  professional  steel  drum  musician  with  a  degree in music education and a focus on world music. He has a  unique  set  of  skills,  and  a  drive  to  inspire  young,  creative  minds.

Joseph received his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Wichita  State  University.  He  performed  with  Potential  Symphony, an award-­‐winning steel band in Trinidad, for the Panorama  National  Steel  Band  Competition.  He  was  a founding  member  of  Babylon  Saints  –  a  venerable  LA-­‐based  pop/rock/reggae  band,  and  has  performed  and  recorded throughout the US in genres such ash reggae, acoustic rock, jazz, and fusion.

His career has taken him around the world, working with Stone Temple Pilots singer Scott Weiland, Cyndi Lauper, and Ryan Gosling, among others. His work has aired on VH1, CBS, and NBC, including Parks and Recreation. He was also a contributor in Teaching in the Diverse Classroom: Learner-­‐Centered Activities That Work, a book for educators by Tanya Huber-­‐Bowen.

Joseph’s current project – The Joseph Peck Group – is a Caribbean Jazz ensemble that explores traditional rhythms commingled with contemporary interpretations. His latest album as a solo artist is a relaxing and transcendental journey called Free-­‐Flow Steel Pan Meditation.

While  directing  the  Steel  Pan  Orchestra  at  Wichita  State  University,  he  founded  the  Adopt-­‐a-­‐Drum  Program.  Today, with a State of California Music Education K-­‐12 Credential, he is a program facilitator at the Drumming for Your Life Institute, and a teaching artist at The Music Center and the Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center K-­‐12 Arts Education Outreach Program.

Twenty years of experience as a steelpan percussionist and music educator have informed his development of the Joseph Peck World Music Program -­‐ an innovative, performance-­‐based class which exposes students to the important cultural and historical contributions of music. Students learn the building  blocks  of  music  (melody,  harmony,  and  rhythm)  in  a  supportive,  creative, and interactive environment using percussion instruments such as steel  drums  (pans),  hand  drums,  shakers,  cowbells,  and  tamboo-­‐bamboo.  Students go on to read, write, practice, play, and perform music from around the world, both on an individual level, as well as with an ensemble.

His Caribbean Drum Circle Program is a music enrichment program that he conducts at Libraries and in schools, teaching students to build community and relate with one another in a drum circle format.

In  both  of  Joseph’s  programs,  students  discover  the  connection  between  music and math, science, the language arts, and the natural world. Each program culminates in a concert performance.

PROGRAMS