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Austin Wrinkle is a unique and versatile percussionist who has studied rhythm and drumming from near and far. By combining techniques and concepts from many cultures, he has forged a universal approach to playing and teaching.

He is a founding member of the internationally acclaimed percussion group Hands On'Semble, a percussion group devoted to the art of hand drumming. Hands On'Semble has performed and lectured throughout the United States, South America, Europe, and Asia at many of the world's premier percussion and world music festivals such as: The Percussive Arts Society International Convention, Ritmos de Terra - Brazil, World Drum Festival - Germany, Chi-Hsi Int'l Arts Festival Int'l Drummers Gala - Taiwan, as well as music schools and conservatories including: The Juilliard School - NY, Eastman School of Music - NY, Mannes College of Music - NY, University of California Santa Barbara, and California Institute of the Arts to name a few.

In addition to Hands On'Semble, Austin is also currently a member of the gypsy/jazz/rock band PLOTZ!, and is a founding member of the world fusion group Hindugrass. He collaborates with many musicians in the Southern California area including the Los Angeles based Persian group Lian Ensemble, and Adam Rudolph’s "Go: Organic Orchestra".

Austin has studied under some of today's greatest drummers and percussionists. He spent many years studying hand drumming and rhythm with percussion vanguard John Bergamo, as well as the great tabla maestro Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri. He studied South Indian drumming with Mridangam Poovalur Srinivasan, orchestral percussion and jazz with David Johnson, West African (Ghanaian) drumming with Alfred Ladzekpo, drum set with Jazz legend Joe LaBarbara, and Persian music with Houman Pourmehdi.

Austin is available for studio work, teaching gigs, world tours, etc., and is currently accepting private students of all ages. Lessons are available for drum set and a number of worldly hand drums including: tabla, kanjira, doumbek, and variety of frame drums. He also teaches universal hand drumming techniques which can be applied to any drum, as well as rhythmic concepts and exercises for any musician looking to expand their rhythmic horizons. Lessons are conducted in Thousand Oaks, CA.  Kindly email austin@austinwrinkle.com or telephone (805) 370-9107

Education:
California Institute of the Arts
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music (1997)
Master of Fine Arts in Music (1999)