Biography

SFC Jake Harpster currently holds the position of Percussionist/Assistant Principal Timpanist for The U.S. Army Concert Band “Pershing’s Own” in Washington, D.C.
As a performer, Harpster is known for his diverse background. In the Broadway idiom, Harpster has presented concerts across the globe. He was the featured marimba soloist and percussionist of the Tony and Emmy award-winning production “BLAST.” With this cast, he toured the United States, South Korea, and all forty-seven prefectures in Japan. As a soloist and chamber musician, Harpster has presented concerts throughout the United States, Canada and Europe and Asia. An enthusiast of contemporary music, he is actively commissioning and premiering many new works each year. Prior to his position in The U.S. Army Concert Band, he served as a percussionist in the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and held the ACA Timpani Fellowship at the Aspen Music Festival.
As an educator, Harpster is currently the Director of Percussion for The Capitol Symphonic Youth Orchestras in Washington, D.C. He has previously taught the percussionists of the DCI World Champion, and Fred Sanford Percussion Award-winning Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps, presented masterclasses at universities nationwide, and has taught at various nationally recognized high school programs such as Center Grove (IN), Coppell (TX) and Marian Catholic (IL).
Harpster received his Master of Music in Percussion Performance with related field work in Contemporary Music Performance from the University of North Texas where he also served as a Teaching Fellow. He received his Bachelor of Music in Percussion Performance from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Upon graduating from Indiana, Harpster was awarded the prestigious Performer's Certificate.