Wilfrid Laurier University Welcomes Brennan Connolly as New Musician in Residence

June 27, 2023

Wilfrid Laurier University is proud to announce that Brennan Connolly, an award-winning percussionist, and educator who has been teaching in the Faculty of Music since 2014, has been appointed as the new Musician in Residence in Percussion.

Connolly holds a Master of Music degree in Performance from Oklahoma City University and a Bachelor of Music degree in Performance from the University of Western Ontario. He has performed with various orchestras, ensembles, and artists across Canada and the United States, including the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, the Jeans ‘n’ Classics Rock Symphony, and the Stratford Festival Orchestra. He is also on faculty at the Interprovincial Music Camp and is an endorsed artist and educator with Pearl/Adams Drums and Concert Percussion, Dream Cymbals and Gongs, and BlackSwamp Percussion.

Connolly will teach studio percussion, percussion techniques, and direct the Percussion Ensemble. He will also be involved in the Community Music program, where he will draw on his study of Ghana’s drum-dance music to teach a community drumming course. Over the past ten years, with Brennan’s influence, Laurier’s percussion alumni have been tremendously successful establishing careers in performance, education, music therapy, entrepreneurship and beyond. Recently, a rise of Laurier percussion performance graduates have earned principal roles in major ensembles across Canada and been accepted into multiple national and international graduate schools.

Brennan works regularly as a guest clinician, delivering workshops to students of all ages and supporting music educators in their professional development. He is a founding member of Duo Percussion, a contemporary chamber percussion ensemble known for high-energy performances and commitment to music education.

“We are delighted to have Brennan Connolly join our faculty as the new Musician in Residence,” said Cynthia Johnston Turner, Dean of the Faculty of Music. “He brings a wealth of experience, expertise, and enthusiasm to our percussion and community music programs. We look forward to his contributions to our musical community and beyond.”

Connolly expressed his excitement to be part of Wilfrid Laurier University and its vibrant musical culture: “I am honoured to take on this new role and look forward to sharing my passion for drumming and its positive impact on people and communities with such talented and dedicated students, faculty, and staff. I hope to inspire and challenge my students to achieve their artistic goals and aspirations across a wide range of musical genres and styles, supporting them as they refine their craft while always encouraging them to explore and create something new from the infinite possibilities that exist within the world of percussion.”

For more information about Brennan Connolly and the Faculty of Music, please visit https://www.wlu.ca/academics/faculties/faculty-of-music/index.html.