New Jersey native Jeff Calissi (b. 1976) has a broad range of experience as a pedagogue, performing artist, and composer. The world of percussion has taken him to Europe, Canada, and throughout the United States performing in a variety of wind, percussion and chamber ensembles, symphony orchestras, opera companies, and musical theater productions.

As a percussionist and marimba specialist, Jeff has performed in an array of venues such as the Southeastern Composers League Conference, the Eastern Trombone Workshop, the International Tuba and Euphonium Conference, and the National Conference on Percussion Pedagogy. An active member of the Percussive Arts Society, Jeff has presented at the society's international convention, PASIC, is an associate keyboard editor for Percussive Notes Journal, and serves on the Scholarly Research Committee. Jeff's compositions, arrangements, and recordings are available from C. Alan Publications; his research is published in Percussive Notes and the PAS Online Research Journal. He endorses Vic Firth sticks and mallets, and performs on Marimba One instruments.

Jeff received a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Radford University and both a Master of Music and a Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He is an assistant professor of music at Eastern Connecticut State University where he serves as the director of percussion studies.

"Interpretively, the works presented were performed superbly and consistent with their contact, showing great imagination....most admirable....this guy has really developed good chops!"

- Gordon Peters, Chicago Symphony

"It is hard to decide which instrumental section was most impressive....the bass drum during the "Dies Irae" shoots terror into the hearts of the listener....the gentle playing was also impressive, as in the opening section."

- Greensboro News and Record

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