Collection: Dirkjan van Groningen
I’m a professional percussionist, educator and composer from Zwolle, The Netherlands. I’m born in 1971 in Kampen and I got my first private percussion lessons when I was 8 years old at a local community band.
During high school I performed with several Dutch (marching) bands, drum corps, percussion ensembles and orchestras. In 1993 I joined Dutch Boy Drum & Bugle Corps from Canada to march DCI and age out in the same year.
After that I started studying percussion at the Artez Conservatory in Zwolle. In 1998 I received my degree in classical percussion and one year later I graduated in jazz and pop music.
At this point I’m teaching drums and percussion at Quintus Kampen. and I’m active as a drummer/percussionist in different bands and occasional ensembles. To share my percussive knowledge I’ve been active a guest teacher in among others Germany, Belgium, France, Italy and Poland in recent years.
I’m the creative director of the European publishing company Show & Marching Music for which Band Music Center is providing US distribution. I’m active as a composer and arranger for (marching) band and percussion ensemble.
Recently, a couple of my percussion ensemble pieces were added to the Texas Prescribed Music List and the Florida State Music List.