Patrick Fitzgibbon

M.M. Lecturer
Contact:  [email protected]

Located near Detroit, Patrick has made his career performing, teaching and composing. Patrick regularly performs with many of Detroit's top musicians as well as his own quartet, and his steel drum ensemble that performs throughout Michigan. His original compositions can be heard on his albums "The Travelers" and “Just Ahead” and have been published with Tapspace and C. Alan Publications. His compositions have been licensed for use by Ford, Bosch Automotive, and Investigation Discovery Studios. Patrick currently teaches world music, aural skills and Steel Band at Oakland University. 

Born and raised in Saginaw, MI, Patrick began playing drum set at an early age and quickly took to other percussion instruments as well as piano and guitar. Under the tutelage of Rich Hogan, Patrick took first prize in the snare and marimba solo competitions at the 2001 MCGC finals. Patrick then went to Michigan State University where he earned a scholarship from the school of music and studied under Alison Shaw, Jon Weber and David Hall. He also spent two years in the Spartan Marching Band snare line. In addition to his music scholarship, Partick earned the Budress Foundation Award and the MSU Outstanding Senior Academic Achievement Award. After graduating in 2005, Patrick travelled to India to volunteer at Shanti Bhavan boarding school as well as study tabla under Rahul Pophali. Patrick then spent some time traveling the world on Norweigan and Holland America Cruise Lines as a show band drummer. After a semester at the California Institute of the Arts studying with Randy Gloss and David Johnson, Patrick returned to Michigan where he received his master's degree in world percussion from Oakland University studying under Mark Stone. During his time at OU, Patrick travelled to Ghana to study gyil with Bernard Woma and Trinidad to play in Panorama with the Birdsong Steel Orchestra under the direction of Andy Narell.  Patrick has since returned to Trinidad several times to perform with Exodus and Silver Stars Steel Orchestra.  

As a performing musician Patrick works in a variety of settings.  As a percussionist he has performed with the Flint, Saginaw, Jackson, Warren and Rochester orchestras, many churches, the Fischer theater pit orchestra and is the vibist for latin jazz quintet Nuevo Jazz Detroit.  Behind the drum set he has played with the Nighthawks Jazz Orchestra, the Oakland Jazz Quintet and does countless gigs throughout Detroit.  As a world percussionist has played tabla for Indian Classical concerts, is the leader of a very successful professional steel band and has performed and recorded hand percussion, vibes, marimba and steel pan with many groups in the Detroit area including projects for Yessian Music.  He has also released 2 albums of original music, one being music for Steel Band, the other being a world/jazz album.  In addition, Patrick is a founding member and composer for Rela Percussion, a percussion quartet that blends world, jazz and modern classical percussion traditions.  They have commissioned several composers, like David Gilligham, and have done residencies and performances at Duke University, the Toledo Glass Museum and CMU.

Patrick lives in Ferndale, MI with his wife and two children.