Neil Percy

Neil Percy is Principal Percussionist with the London Symphony Orchestra and Head of Timpani and Percussion at the Royal Academy of Music. He has worked closely with many major artists and conductors and as a soloist with Sir Colin Davis, Pierre Boulez, Steve Reich, Karl Jenkins, Ravi Shankar, Kent Nagano and Elgar Howarth. His EMI recording of Karl Jenkins' Marimba Concerto and Triple Concerto for Percussion, Flutes and Keyboards was released recently to wide critical acclaim, as was the Grammy-nominated Bartok Concerto for Two Pianos and Percussion for Deutsche Grammophon with Pierre Boulez, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Tamara Stefanovich, Nigel Thomas and the LSO. In both live and studio situations, Neil has worked closely with many composers for film scores, notably John Williams, James Horner, Patrick Doyle, and Alexandre Desplat with their music for films such as Harry Potter, Star Wars, Braveheart and Twilight-New Moon. Neil has also enjoyed working with many major pop and jazz artists including Herbie Hancock, Elvis Costello, Natalie Cole, Dave Brubeck, Joe Zawinal, Tony Bennett, Luther Vandross and Vince Mendoza. Neil collaborates with Tim Garland in nine-piece group ‘Momentum’, including as members John Patitucci, Joe Locke and Geoffrey Keezer. As a clinician and educator Neil has given master classes at many leading conservatoires and percussion events in the UK, Europe, USA and Asia and has coached many of the world's leading youth orchestras including the Pacific Music Festival Orchestra and National Youth Orchestra. Neil is the Zildjian cymbals ’Artist in Residence’, a Yamaha drums and keyboards artist and an artist for Evans drumheads. Neil received his Honorary Membership of the Academy (Hon RAM) in July 2010.