Jeffrey Irving

About Jeffrey

Jeffrey Irving is a freelance percussionist and timpanist in New York City working regularly in the orchestral, theatre, and chamber music idioms. He performs frequently with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, has worked on over a dozen shows on Broadway and has a long history working with many other groups in the U.S. and abroad including the New York Philharmonic, Orchestra of St. Luke's, American Symphony Orchestra, New York City Opera, Gotham Chamber Opera, Manhattan Chamber Orchestra, Springfield Symphony Orchestra, and the Malaysia Philharmonic Orchestra, among others.

In addition to his orchestral and theatre activities, Irving is also an enthusiastic performer of contemporary solo and chamber music. Recent chamber music engagements include Alarm Will Sound, International Contemporary Ensemble, counter)induction, Da Capo Chamber Players, Perspectives Ensemble, Newband, American Contemporary Music Ensemble (ACME), and the Metropolitan Opera Chamber Ensemble. He has recorded for Deutsche Grammophon, PBS, Netflix, HBO, Albany Records, Verve, Naxos, New Focus Recordings and NY Philomusica.

As an educator, Irving's students have continued on to some of the most prestigious conservatories and universities in the country including The Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, Eastman School of Music, Mannes College of Music, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, University of Michigan, San Francisco Conservatory, Peabody Institute, and others. He has served on the faculty of Interlochen Arts Camp since 2011, has served as both a faculty member and and guest artist at the Juilliard Summer Percussion Seminar and served as Instructor of Percussion and Director of Percussion Ensemble (sabbatical replacement) at Interlochen Arts Academy in 2011. Jeffrey is an alumnus of Interlochen Arts Academy and holds his Bachelor and Master of Music from The Juilliard School.

Irving is an artist endorser for Zildjian cymbals, Black Swamp Percussion concert snare drums and accessories, and Innovative Percussion sticks and mallets.

I believe my role as a teacher is not simply to help you become a better musician, but to a) teach you how to be constructively self-critical; b) help you develop techniques to improve that can be applied to any area of your life; and c) help you learn to enthusiastically embrace the process!