Tom Sherwood
Cleveland Orchestra - United States
Overview
Tom Sherwood is a member of the percussion section of the Cleveland Orchestra. A native of Fairfax, Virginia, his musical career began at a young age when he discovered his father’s drum set in the garage. He graduated with his Bachelor of Music in Percussion Performance from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. A student of Tom Siwe, he was the youngest recipient of the Edgar Varese Memorial Scholarship. He went on to earn his Master of Music from Temple University, where he studied with Alan Abel (former Associate Principal Percussionist of the Philadelphia Orchestra). Tom made his solo debut with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in the 2004-2005 season, performing Tan Dun’s Concerto for Water Percussion and Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Robert Spano. He was the Principal Percussionist of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra until 2016. He can be heard with the ASO on Telarc and Deutsche Grammophon recordings. In addition to his work with the orchestra, Tom also performs with Sonic Generator, a contemporary chamber ensemble specializing in the performance of electro acoustic music.
Prior to joining the ASO, Tom was a member of the prestigious New World Symphony, under the direction of Michael Tilson Thomas. Summer festival performances include the Grand Teton Music Festival, the National Orchestral Institute, and the Aspen Music Festival - where he held the Charlie Owen Memorial Scholarship. An active teacher and clinician, he has presented masterclasses at the 2001 and 2003 Percussive Arts Society International Conventions. Tom is an endorser of Pearl Drums and Adams Musical Instruments. He currently resides in Atlanta with his wife Jessica, their son Leo, and Patsy the pug.