Percussion

  Bertram Lehmann

Private Lessons Instructor, Percussionist and Drummer 

Based in Boston for over three decades, Bertram Lehmann's supple and fluid style of drumming and innovative approach to hand percussion have made him a much sought-after player within a multitude of musical contexts domestically and beyond, performing in Jazz, South-American, African, Turkish, and many other global genres.

In addition to his many high-profile performances and appearances over the years including 65+ recordings with acclaimed artists such as Paquito d'Rivera, Randy Brecker, Dave Liebman, Miguel Zenon, Anat Cohen, Romero Lubambo, Danilo Perez, Claudio Roditi, Oscar Castro-Neves, NDR Radio Bigband, Kenny Werner, and Dave Samuels' Caribbean Jazz Project, he has toured internationally across Brazil, Russia, India, South Korea, Ecuador, Ghana, Mexico, Turkey, Spain, Israel, and Germany.

In the New England Region Bertram Lehmann is particularly known for his past-and-present associations with artists such as Luciana Souza and Mili Bermejo, Natraj, Mango Blue, Tony Perez, as well as more recently the innovative bigbands of Felipe Salles and Mehmet Ali Sanlikol.

Some of the distinguished national and international venues Bertram Lehmann has performed at include New York City’s Lincoln Center, Birdland, Joe’s Pub, Metropolitan Museum, National Sawdust, and The Jazz Gallery City; Symphony Hall, The Opera House, Jordan Hall, The Paramount Theater, Boston Globe Jazz Festival, Beantown Jazz Festival, Celebrity Series of Boston, The American Repertory Theater, Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, as well as many venues elsewhere, including the The Kennedy Center and Blues Alley (Washington, D.C.), Shallin Liu Center (Rockport, MA), 'Jazz Yatra' Festival (Mumbai), Teatro Amazonas (Manaus), Kumho Arts Center (Seoul), Tchaikovsky Conservatory (Moscow), 'Panafest' (Ghana), ‘Chicago World Music Festival’, and the ‘Istanbul Jazz Festival’.

Mr. Lehmann currently teaches courses and lessons in the Percussion, Ear Training, Africana Studies, Ensemble, and Liberal Arts departments at Berklee College of Music. He endorses Murat Diril Cymbals, Vic Firth Sticks, DEM Sticks, Aquarian Drumheads, and Black Swamp Percussion.

  Timur Rubinshteyn

Private Lessons Instructor, Percussion

Timur Rubinshteyn holds a D.M.A. in Percussion Performance from Boston University. He teaches percussion at Boston College, plays principal timpani for Atlantic Symphony and freelances regionally, including R.I. Philharmonic. Timur R. completed his B.M. with academic honors and hiw M.M. with academic honors and performance distinction at NEC, where he received the Zildjian Award for Excellence in the Art of Percussion. He was also a joint winner of the commencement competition (performing solo with the NEC Honors Orchestra) and one of two members of the graduating class awarded the Gunther Schuller Medal for Outstanding Contributions to the Life of NEC. Timur R. has attended Aspen Music Festival, Music Academy of the West, Schleswig Holstein Musik Festival, National Orchestral Institute, and Tanglewood Music Center. Formerly Timur R. was a percussion coach and assistant conductor of the NEC Youth Symphony, and managed the orchestra's tours of Italy, Greece, and Costa Rica. His other tours have included Israel, Italy, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and France. From 2012-16 he was part of the percussion faculty of the NEC's Festival Youth Orchestra. Timur R. also teaches percussion at Concord High School, Carlisle Middle School, Norwood High School, Coakley Middle School, Belmont Day School, and Common Time Music Studio.

  Mawunyo Kobla (M.K.) Titiati

Private Lessons Instructor, Percussion

Mawunyo Kobla (M.K.) Titiati is a drummer, percussionist, scholar, and teacher. He holds both a Bachelor of Arts in Music and Information Studies from the University of Ghana as well as a master’s degree in ethnomusicology from Tufts University. Born in Adidome in the Volta region of Ghana and raised in Tema, a city in Ghana’s capital; M.K. is currently based in Boston, Massachusetts. M.K. has over two decades of experience actively performing on drum set on both worship and secular stages. Beyond the drum set, M.K. is equally at home with traditional Ghanaian instruments, marching (pep) band percussion, and electronic drum programming. As a seasoned musician, M.K. has also served in band and ensemble leadership roles. Through his dedication to the art and craft of drumming, his leadership abilities, and commitment to maintaining a collaborative, nurturing, and respectful atmosphere, M.K. has become a highly sought after drummer, collaborator, and teacher. 

M.K.’s objective is to use the drums to empower any aspiring student into a seasoned musician. Beginning with establishing the foundational rhythmic responsibility of drummers in his students, M.K. approaches drumming from a holistic perspective which encompasses hand and foot techniques, drum tuning and maintenance, physical and mental health, drum notation, melodic phrasing, sonic awareness, and electronic drum programming. M.K. teaches students of all ages and has experience working with highly neurodivergent students. In so doing, he has utilized a wide array of methods to teach students from an equally wide array of backgrounds. His private lessons are specifically tailored to the desired outcomes of his students. His group lessons are equitably managed to embrace diversity and respect for all participants.

M.K. Titiati is currently the Music Director of the Borga’s Band, an Afrocentric band based in Boston. Furthermore, he is an integral member of Sun Salon, a free jazz collective based in Boston. M.K. has performed with multi-award-winning musicians and ensembles, including Kofi Kinaata, Joe Mettle, Diana Hamilton, Akwaboah, Fameye, Uche Agu, Austin Maro Music, Joe Praise, Eugene Zuta, Hilarius Wuaku, Vicky Frimpong, Naa Kronkron, Gye Nyame Kete, Kiniwe, Nando Michelin’s Small Jazz Ensemble, Gospel Explosion Inc, Impact Project Ministry, Boston Mega Praise, Tufts Freshman 15 and the Tufts Third Day Gospel Choir. M.K. has also been featured in the Revere Journal, demonstrating Ghanaian music during the city of Revere’s 2022 Juneteenth celebrations. M.K. Titiati has also had the distinction of performing in ceremonies honoring both Tufts University’s former president, Dr. Anthony Monaco and current president, Dr. Sunil Kumar among others. You can learn more about Mawunyo Kobla Titiati by watching the videos on YouTube.