About Emerson Forbes
Emerson Forbes is a trained percussionist and jazz musician with significant experience in songwriting, guitar, and piano. In 2024, Emerson graduated from the University of Delaware on the Dean’s List with a degree in Music Education and a minor in Jazz Studies. While attending the University of Delaware, Emerson studied with Gene Koshinski and Tim Broscious, who together comprise the internationally acclaimed Quey Percussion Duo, in addition to studying jazz with Dr. Miles Brown and Professor Tom Palmer.
As an undergraduate student, Emerson performed diverse and challenging repertoire as a soloist, and as a member of UD’s Percussion Ensemble, World Percussion Ensemble, Marching Band, and Wind Ensemble, to name just a few. As a jazz musician, he has studied as both a drummer and a vibraphonist, allowing him to delve deeply into both jazz rhythmic concepts and jazz harmony. Furthermore, Emerson was the drummer in Happy Camper, a band composed entirely of UD students that played numerous on-campus gigs.
Emerson has extensive experience as an educator in both traditional and non-traditional settings. As a part of his undergraduate training, he spent years working under different music teachers within the Delaware area, teaching under their supervision to students of all ages. Emerson has also taught music at summer camps in Long Island, Maine, and Thailand, each posing its own unique challenges in curriculum design, language barriers, and age gaps.
Currently, Emerson is pursuing a Master’s degree in Jazz Performance as a vibraphonist at SUNY Purchase. He is playing jazz gigs in the Long Island area, and working towards releasing his original music.
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