A proponent of new and classic, western and world percussion music, Frank Cassara has premiered countless works with as many diverse groups. As percussionist for the Philip Glass Ensemble, he has performed around the globe, as well as recording Glass’ film scores and concert music. He has also performed around the world with Steve Reich and Musicians, and can be heard on his recent CD, “WCT/911″.
As a member of the New Music Consort/PULSE Percussion Ensemble he has appeared at major festivals in the US, Asia, Iceland and Mexico, as well as in the movie about John Cage “I Have Nothing To Say And I Am Saying It”. Mr. Cassara had toured extensively with the Newband/Harry Patch Ensemble, performing and recording on Partch’s microtonal instruments and Dean Drummond’s invention, the Zoomoozophone. In 2009 he toured Taiwan in a mallet duo with Hsieh Chia-Hao performing arrangements of jazz and latin tunes.
He has also performed or toured with groups as Music From China, Manhattan Marimba Quartet, Talujon Percussion Quartet, North/South Consonance and Ethos Percussion Ensemble.
Principal percussionist of the Riverside Symphony, he has performed with many New York area orchestras such as the Brooklyn Philharmonic, American Composers Orchestra, and the Long Island Philharmonic. Mr. Cassara has played for Broadway shows “Lion King”, “42nd Street” and “Phantom” among others and heads the percussion departments at Vassar College, Long Island University and Brooklyn College CUNY.
He can be heard on recordings such as Philip Glass’ “Orion“, Gavin Bryars’ “Jesus’ Blood” (Grammy nominated), Chou Wen-Chung’s “Echoes From The Gorge”, and many others, and on film scores such as “Roving Mars”, “Taking Lives”, and “Secret Window”.