Max

Max is back in the NY/NJ area working as a freelance percussionist in NYC and teaching Music Together after touring for the past 2½ years as the Percussionist with the North American Tour of the Broadway show "Les Misérables."  Before Les Mis, Max was a cast member in the North American Tour and NYC productions of STOMP!  Max began teaching Music Together in 2017, and graduated Summa Cum Laude from New York University in 2021, with a degree in Percussion Performance, where he was named Principal Percussionist of the NYU Orchestra, and appointed TA to the Steel Band and African Gyil Ensemble (where he also served as Dance Captain).  He performed in two opera productions: Mozart's "The Magic Flute," and Poulenc's "Dialogue of the Carmelites."  While at NYU, Max traveled to Ghana to study Western African percussion and dance, and to perform with the Ghana National Orchestra, alongside world-renowned percussionist Valerie Naranjo (Saturday Night Live, The Lion King on Broadway).  

Prior to college, Max was the Principal Percussionist of the New Jersey Youth Symphony and the NJYS Percussion Ensemble, where he also served as a student conductor.  In the spring of 2016, he won best soloist at the North Jersey Band Festival.  He has performed throughout Europe, as Percussion Section Leader of the American Music Abroad Tour (Summer 2015), and Principal Percussionist of the NJ Youth Symphony (Summer 2017), where the ensemble competed in and won first place at the prestigious Summa Cum Laude International Music Festival in Vienna, Austria.  During every year of high school, Max was awarded membership by competition to North Jersey Regional Band (Section Leader, 2017) and the All State Band (2017). 

Max loves kids and is interested in the study of brain development/musical development in young children.