Biography
Thad Anderson is an Associate Professor of Music at the University of Central Florida (UCF) where he coordinates the Percussion Studies program, teaches applied lessons, and directs both the UCF Percussion Ensemble and the New Music Ensemble. Joining the UCF faculty in 2009, Anderson also teaches courses in music technology and oversees the concert audio engineering team. His career blends performance, pedagogy, and technology, with a strong emphasis on contemporary music and composition.
An accomplished solo, chamber, and orchestral musician, Anderson has contributed to numerous recordings, including releases on Cantaloupe, Naxos, Ravello Records, Flying Horse Records, and Innova labels. His performance credits include the Alterity Chamber Orchestra, Victoria Bach Festival, Austin Chamber Music Center, Round Top Festival-Institute, Syracuse Society for New Music, Make Music New York, Accidental Music Festival, Winter Park Bach Festival, Days of Percussion in Florida, Texas, Idaho, and Oklahoma, the Texas and Florida Music Educators Association convention, Percussive Arts Society International Convention, Austin, Waco, and Brevard Symphony Orchestras. Anderson has been a featured soloist with Conspirare, the Monroe Symphony Orchestra, UCF Wind Ensemble, and the Murray State University Wind Ensemble. Anderson is a sought-after clinician, lecturer, and performer, presenting across the United States and internationally as far as Bangkok, Thailand.
As a composer, Anderson’s works encompass percussion, mixed chamber music, and multimedia. His compositions have been featured in award-winning documentary films like Standard Deviation and Finding Tyler, as well as in full-dome theaters and museums worldwide in collaboration with Christopher Brannan and Diana Reichenbach. He publishes his original works through Plus Two Media, with additional projects released through Universal Edition and Peters Edition. Dedicated to advancing new music, Anderson actively commissions and collaborates with composers such as Paul Lansky, Marc Mellits, Tiffany Connell, Zack Browning, Steven Snowden, Jonathan Kolm, John Serry, Martin Bresnick, Halim El-Dabh, and Travis Jeffords, fostering new works for percussion and chamber ensembles.
Additionally, Anderson is highly active in the Percussive Arts Society (PAS) community where he currently serves as President of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee and contributes to the various PAS publications. He is also a frequent evaluator and faculty member at the Music For All National Percussion Festival and Summer Symposium and is on faculty at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute in the summer. Dr. Anderson completed his undergraduate work in Music Education at the University of Central Florida and received his Master’s of Music and Doctorate of Music Arts in Percussion Performance from the University of Texas at Austin.
Thad Anderson plays Yamaha percussion instruments, Vic Firth sticks and mallets, Zildjian cymbals, and Remo drumheads.
Education
- D.M.A. in Percussion Performance from The University of Texas at Austin (2009)
- M.M. in Percussion Performance from The University of Texas at Austin (2006)
- B.M.E. in Percussion from The University of Central Florida (2004)
Research Interests
- Contemporary Music
- Electro-Acoustic Music
- Audio Engineering and Archiving
- Music Technology
- Conducting
- Composition
Publications
Articles/Essays
- Anderson, Thad. "John Cage’s Fourth Construction: An Imaginary Landscape." Percussive Notes, Vol. 61, No. 3 (June 2023): 50-55.
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Anderson, Thad. “Percussion Analytics: Using Technology for Real-Time Performance Feedback and Learning.” Percussive Arts Society Educators’ Companion, Volume 3 (January 2016): 15-22.
- Anderson, Thad. Conversations with Paul Lansky. Percussive Notes, Volume 48, No. 3 (May 2010): 34-36.
- Anderson, Thad. Twelve-Tone Timpani: Jan Williams Variations for Solo Kettledrums. Percussive Notes, Volume 46, No. 4 (August 2008): 48-50.
- Anderson, Thad. Collegiate Percussion Clubs. Percussive Notes, Volume 44, No. 3 (April 2006): 46-47.
Book Sections/Chapters
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Anderson, Thad. “A Conversation with William Winant.” In The Modern Percussion Revolution: Journeys of the Progressive Artist. Edited by Kevin Lewis and Gustavo Aguilar. New York: Routledge Publishing (2014): 163-171.
Recordings
- A New Path to Touch the Earth, performed by ANSWERS, mixed and mastered by John McEntire, 2022.
- Lines & Spaces: The Music of Thad Anderson released on Ravello Records, 2019. Featuring instrumental music from my Lines series.
- Patterns released on Flying Horse Records, 2014. Featuring music for mallet quartet performed by UCF Percussion.
- Inuksuit by John Luther Adams released on Cantaloupe, 2013.
- Secret Pulse by Zack Browning released on Innova, 2012. Featuring the UCF Percussion Ensemble.
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Music for Film and Electro-Theatre by Mike Vernusky released on Quiet Design, 2010
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Circus Maximus by John Corigliano released on Naxos, 2009. Featuring the University of Texas Wind Ensemble.
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Standard Deviation released on +Two Media, 2008. Soundtrack to the documentary film.
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American Choral Music released on Naxos, 2006. Featuring the UT Chamber Singers & Musicians.
Awards
- 2017, Received a VPR Advancement of Early Researchers (AECR) grant award for a project titled Original Musical Composition Album Recording and Publication Project.
- 2019, Received a Teaching Incentive Program (TIP) award for outstanding contributions in teaching and learning.
- 2022, Awarded a one-year sabbatical to focus on research, writing, and audio engineering and production projects.
- 2023, Awarded a Technology Fee grant for mobile audio recording and live streaming improvements for the School of Performing Arts.
Courses
| Course # | Course | Title | Mode | Days/Times | Syllabus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 82052 | MUN2442 | Percussion/mallet Ensemble | In Person (P) | M,W 12:30 PM - 1:20 PM | Unavailable |
| 82058 | MUN3443 | Perc Ensemble | In Person (P) | M,W 11:30 AM - 12:20 PM | Unavailable |
| 82386 | MUN5445 | Percussion Ensemble | In Person (P) | M,W 11:30 AM - 12:20 PM | Unavailable |
| 82219 | MUS2360C | Intro to Music Technology | Web-Based (W) | 7:00 PM - 7:00 PM | Unavailable |
| 93361 | MUS5365 | Music and Technology | Web-Based (W) | 7:00 PM - 7:00 PM | Unavailable |
| 82106 | MVP1211 | Sec Percussion | In Person (P) | F 11:30 AM - 12:20 PM | Unavailable |
| 82107 | MVP1411 | Percussion Ⅰ | In Person (P) | F 11:30 AM - 12:20 PM | Unavailable |
| 82108 | MVP2421 | Percussion Ⅱ | In Person (P) | F 11:30 AM - 12:20 PM | Unavailable |
| 82109 | MVP3431 | Percussion Ⅲ | In Person (P) | F 11:30 AM - 12:20 PM | Unavailable |
| 82301 | MVP3431 | Percussion Ⅲ | In Person (P) | F 11:30 AM - 12:20 PM | Unavailable |
| 82110 | MVP4441 | Percussion Ⅳ | In Person (P) | F 11:30 AM - 12:20 PM | Unavailable |
| 82111 | MVP5451 | Percussion Ⅴ | In Person (P) | F 11:30 AM - 12:20 PM | Unavailable |
| 82383 | MVP6461 | Percussion Ⅵ | In Person (P) | F 11:30 AM - 12:20 PM | Unavailable |
| Course # | Course | Title | Mode | Days/Times | Syllabus |
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