Brant Blackard

Frozen Earth Duo

Brant Blackard is an active performer, educator, composer and arranger based out of Rochester, New York. Brant has performed at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention with Blake Tyson in 2012 and the Eastman School of Music Percussion Ensemble, in 2013 and 2017 participating in world premieres of works by Michael Burritt. In 2014, he was the first prize winner of the Great Plains International Marimba Competition. Brant has toured internationally with chamber groups such as the Broadband Ensemble and the Zohn Collective. Performances include works at the soundSCAPE music festival in Maccagno, Italy, the Valencia International Performance Academy and multiple concert series in Guadalajara, Mexico. He served as Principal Timpanist and Percussionist for the Conway Symphony Orchestra from 2010-2012. Brant can be heard on the album Firefish by Blake Tyson.

Brant has taught extensively at High Schools and Middle Schools in the Atlanta, Georgia region and throughout the state of Arkansas. As a guest clinician, he has worked with several universities, such as Western Missouri University, the University of Central Arkansas, and the University of Arkansas at Ft. Smith. His arrangements of classical repertoire for mixed percussion ensembles have been performed at the University of Central Arkansas, the University of Michigan, and the Eastman School of Music. As part of the Frozen Earth Duo with Connor Stevens, Brant has toured extensively, performing and presenting at institutions such as Florida State University, Virginia Tech University, and the Leigh Howard Stevens Marimba Seminar.

Brant Blackard is currently pursuing his Doctorate in Performance and Literature at the Eastman School of Music. He received his Master’s Degree from the Eastman School of Music along with the prestigious Performer’s Certificate and Milton Schlesinger Prize, and received his Bachelor’s Degree in Percussion Performance and Literature from the University of Central Arkansas. Brant is an endorser and performing artist of Malletech instruments and mallets.