Percussion
Education
Manny received his undergraduate degree in Music Education and Theory composition from Texas Christian University and a Master of Arts degree in Timpani and Percussion Performance at the Royal Academy of Music in London. Former teachers include: Andrew Barclay (London Philharmonic Orchestra), David Searcy (Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala), Dr. Brian West, Dr. Richard Gipson, Colin Currie, Eric Sammut, Paul Clarvis, Dave Hassell, Paul Rennick, and Tom Teasle
Performance and Teaching Experience
Manny has had the opportunity to work with world renowned performers and conductors, including: Sir Colin Davis, Yan Pascal Tortelier, Trevor Pinnock, Thierry Fisher, George Benjamin, Stephen Hough, Colin Currie, Keiko Abe, and has performed in venues all over the world. He has appeared with the London Sinfonietta, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra of India, and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with Dame Evelyn Glennie.
Skilled in many areas of percussion, Manny’s performance opportunities vary from playing tabla and percussion in the group Tablature, with Kuljit Bhamra MBE, to playing buckets on the Netflix Original TV Series House of Card (SE2Ep1). He has appeared in numerous award winning musical theatre productions in the Washington DC area, including performances at the Olney Theatre Center, Constellation Theatre Company, Arena Stage and Keegan Theatre to name a few. Recent performances include a Kennedy Center Millennium Stage appearance with World Renown Koto player Masayo Ishiguro and backing up bassist Joe Lally of Fugazi with the DC Improviser’s Collective. Manny was also a member of the Carolina Crown and Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps.
Manny has taught publicly and privately in the US and abroad and is currently on Percussion Faculty at Levine Music in Washington DC. He also works regularly with the Education Programs at the Kreeger Museum in Washington DC and provides in-school contemporary music workshops with colleague Chris Brown as the duo Bassappella.
At Levine
Manny joined the Levine faculty in 2012.