International Percussionist Biennale
Workshops, Concerts, Exhibitions
A Space For Young Performers
About the festival
Percussion Instruments Festival is the name of an international biennale for percussionists, organized by the Faculty of Music of JAMU in Brno. The festival provides an opportunity for the emerging generation of percussionists from Czech and international conservatories and academies to showcase their talent. The Percussion Instruments Festival was established in 2010 as a graduate project by Kamila Pětrašová.
Thanks to its unique programming, the festival is a one-of-a-kind event in the Czech Republic, aiming to present percussion instruments as a distinct element of contemporary music. This oldest and most diverse group of instruments spans a wide range of musical genres. Therefore, the festival features instruments such as timpani, drum set, marimba, djembe, bells, steel drums, vibraphone, temple blocks, gongs, timbales, bongos, cymbals, xylophone, darbuka, and more. All of these, and much more, are brought to life by the young generation of performers during their festival concerts.
Since its inception in 2010, the festival has been highlighted by workshops and concerts led by leading international teachers and soloists. This year’s eighth edition, subtitled “Back to the Roots,” will welcome guests from Mexico, Italy, and Austria.
Accompanying events will traditionally include sales exhibitions by percussion instrument makers.
All concerts, workshops, and exhibitions are open to students, professionals, and the general public alike. The entire festival will take place, as usual, at the Theatre on Orlí / JAMU’s Music-Drama Laboratory from November 28 to 30, 2025.
Programme
Friday 28. 11. 2025
| 9:30 – 11:30 | Workshop David Panzl |
| 13:00 – 15:00 | Workshop Paolo Cimmino |
| 16:00 | Concert of Students from the Academy of Arts, Banská Bystrica (SK), and Conservatories in Bratislava (SK), Banská Bystrica (SK), Kroměříž, Pardubice and Olomouc |
| 18:15 | opening of the exhibition and presentation of Radek Doležal’s new publication |
| 19:00 | Concert of Students from the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music, Budapest (HU), and the Music and Dance Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (HAMU) |
| 21:00 | PerkuSeance mini |
Saturday 29. 11. 2025
| 8:30 -15:00 | Atendees registration |
| 9:30 – 11:30 | Workshop Javier Nandayapa Velasco |
| 13:00 – 15:00 | Workshop Paolo Cimmino |
| 16:00 | Concert of Students from the Brno Conservatory, České Budějovice Conservatory, Janáček Conservatory in Ostrava, Teplice Conservatory, and the Žilina Conservatory (SK) |
| 19:00 | David Panzl (AT) and Students from the Faculty of Music of the Janáček Academy of Performing Arts (JAMU), Brno, and the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (mdw) |
| 21:00 | PerkuSeance mini |
Sunday 30. 11. 2025
| 9:30 – 11:00 | Workshop Javier Nandayapa Velasco |
| 11:00 -12:30 | Workshop David Panzl |
| 14:00 | PerkuSeance MAXI |
| 16:00 | Closing concert: Javier Nandayapa Velasco (Mexiko), Paolo Cimmino (Itálie) |
Workshops are for festival participants only.
Admission to the concerts is free for festival participants. The public can purchase tickets at the GoOut ticketing network.
International Tutors
Javier Nandayapa Velasco (MEX)
Mexican marimbist Javier Nandayapa is a prominent figure on today’s international percussion scene. He began his musical journey in 1989 as a member of the legendary Marimba Nandayapa ensemble, touring worldwide and participating in 16 recordings. Since 1995, he has pursued a solo career, performing in 37 countries across Europe, Asia, the Americas, Africa, and the Middle East.
As an educator and advocate of the Central American marimba, he has led lectures and workshops at universities in the United States, Europe, Japan, and South America. He co-authored the first didactic method for the Mexican marimba ever published in Mexico. His solo engagements include performances at renowned festivals and venues such as the International Cervantino Festival in Guanajuato, the Percussion Journeys in Riba-Roja del Turia, and concert tours across Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Brazil, and Kenya.
Nandayapa has appeared as a soloist with numerous orchestras both in Mexico and abroad, including the National Symphony Orchestra of Mexico, the Lithuanian State Chamber Orchestra, and the Asunción City Symphony Orchestra. In 2012, he was awarded a FONCA (National Fund for Culture and the Arts) grant to support a project featuring dozens of concerts and recordings with symphonic and chamber ensembles.
Paolo Cimmino (IT)
Italian percussionist Paolo Cimmino, born in Naples, began his career as a classical musician before expanding into ethnic music and jazz. He spent twelve years performing with the prestigious Teatro di San Carlo Orchestra and currently teaches at the G. Martucci Conservatoire in Salerno and MusicAteneo at the University of Salerno.
A respected educator, Cimmino is co-founder of the Italian Frame Drum Society and a prolific author of educational works focused on the Italian tamburello – including solo pieces and method books. He is a frequent guest lecturer at top institutions such as the Royal College of Music (London) and Franz Liszt Hochschule für Musik (Weimar).
As a performer, he appears both solo and in ensembles such as Clay Drums India with Ghatam Suresh, MediTamburi Quartet, and Framed Resonance with marimbist Daniella Ganeva. His discography includes collaborations with artists like Tony Esposito, Zohar Fresco, Giovanni Imparato, and Glen Velez.
David Christopher Panzl (AT)
Austrian multi-percussionist David Christopher Panzl, born in Salzburg, began studying percussion at the age of four with Martin Grubinger Sr. At just 13, he gave his first solo concerto with the Reichenhall Philharmonic Orchestra. He later studied jazz in New York and completed his concert percussion studies at the Vienna Conservatory with Professor Josef Gumpinger. He earned his Master of Arts degree with top honors under Anton Mittermayr in 2013, followed by marimba studies with Keiko Abe at the Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo.
He currently teaches concert percussion at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna. As a soloist, he has performed in prestigious venues such as Suntory Hall (Tokyo), Seoul Arts Center, Vienna Konzerthaus and at the opening of the Salzburg Festival. He has appeared with the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg, and the Konzerthaus Orchestra Berlin, among others, and as a soloist with the Nuremberg Symphony, Innsbruck Symphony, Sarajevo Philharmonic, and others.
David Panzl is known for his close collaborations with contemporary composers and has premiered works by Keiko Abe, Shih, Johannes Motschmann, Enjott Schneider, and others. He is also active as a conductor, educator, and international competition juror. His recordings have been released by Paraty Records (Harmonia Mundi), Wergo, and Edel Records. He is endorsed by Yamaha, Zildjian, Vic Firth, Mike Balter, and Loyal Drums.
