Founded in 2006, the Meehan/ Perkins Duo (Todd Meehan and Doug Perkins) has emerged as a driving force in new music through their compelling performances of new works for percussion. The duo believes in cultivating relationships with living composers through commissions and collaborations that expand the percussion genre. Their repertoire encompasses the vast sound possibilities of percussion, including both acoustic and electro-acoustic works.
Todd and Doug first began collaborating as chamber musicians in 1999 as founding members of So Percussion. They have since performed at countless venues across the country including the Bang on a Can Marathon, the BAM Next Wave Festival, Miller Theater, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, and the Round Top Chamber Music Series. In addition to their performances the duo regularly teaches master classes at universities throughout the country.
The duo performs on Pearl/ Adams musical instruments and uses Pro Mark sticks and mallets.
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Todd Meehan
Todd Meehan is Director of Percussion Studies at the Baylor University School of Music. He is an active solo, orchestral, and chamber musician with performances throughout the United States, Europe, and Japan. From 1999 to 2003 Todd served as a founding member of So Percussion presenting concerts and masterclasses around the country. He has worked with composers Steve Reich, David Lang, Christopher Rouse, James Wood, and Lukas Ligeti, and has commissioned numerous works for solo and chamber percussion.
As an orchestral musician Todd has performed under conductors Christoph Eschenbach, Michael Tilson Thomas, Robert Spano, Peter Ounjdian, Gunther Schuller, and Myung Whung Chung. He currently serves as Principal Timpanist with the Waco Symphony Orchestra and Percussionist with the baroque period ensemble, Orchestra of New Spain.
Performance credits include the Bang on a Can Marathon, the BAM Next Wave Festival, Miller Theater's Composer Portrait Series, the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, the Round Top International Festival-Institute Chamber Music Series, the Rocky River Chamber Music Series, the Open Ears New Music Series, the New England Gamelan Festival, and the Percussive Arts Society International Convention. Additionally, he has performed live on WNYC's New Sounds hosted by John Schaefer.
Todd received his Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Texas at Austin, his Master of Music degree from Yale University, and is currently completing his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin. His teachers include Robert van Sice, George Frock, James Ross, and Michael Green.
Douglas Perkins
Douglas Perkins specializes in new works for percussion, most notably as a founding member of So Percussion. This has taken him to stages and festivals throughout North America and Europe including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the Spoleto USA Festival, the Walker Art Center, and the World Expo in Lisbon, Portugal.
His collaborations focus on the creation of new music for percussion. Along those lines, he has worked with such composers as David Lang, Steve Reich, Steve Mackey, John Zorn, Lois Vierk, Martin Bresnick, Stuart Saunders Smith, Evan Ziporyn, John Luther Adams, and the Minimum Security Composers Collective. He has performed with the International Contemporary Ensemble, Ethel, Alarm Will Sound, the Merce Cunningham Dance Company, Ballettech, The Percussion Group Cincinnati, and Max Roach's percussion group M' Boom. Additionally, Doug has been heard on NPR stations throughout the US and has recorded for Cantaloupe Music and Summit Records.
Currently, Douglas teaches percussion at Dartmouth College and has also performed residencies and given masterclasses at such institutions as Julliard, Yale, Princeton, the University of Texas, and Peabody.
Doug received his Bachelor's degree from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music with Jim Culley, and the Masters and Artist Diploma degrees from Yale University, where he studied with Robert Van Sice.