zuri wells, percussion

Born in Chicago, Illinois, Zuri Wells is a recent graduate of The Glenn Gould School in Toronto, Ontario. She began playing percussion at age nine as a part of a fellowship program funded by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. While a part of this program, she received weekly lessons from Patsy Dash of the Chicago Symphony and Doug Waddell of the Chicago Lyric Opera. Zuri went on to receive her bachelors and masters in percussion performance at Michigan State University and has begun playing with local orchestras. She has had the pleasure of performing as an extra/substitute with Lansing Symphony, Midland Symphony, and Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

Recently, Zuri has spent summers as a percussion fellow at Music Academy International and Brevard Music Center, returning for a second time as a teacher’s assistant. She has also been the recipient of several awards, winning the Jan and Beattie Wood Concerto Competition and the Glenn Gould School’s concerto competition.

As an active member in new music, Zuri has performed many chamber and solo works written for percussion. She has performed at PASIC twice with the Michigan State Percussion ensemble with newly commissioned chamber works and was granted the opportunity to perform two works with the International Contemporary Ensemble.

Zuri currently teaches percussion and performs with various ensembles and orchestras throughout the Midwest.