About
Originally an attempt at a scalable percussion publication, Sound Prairie is now simply my personal website.
I’m Kyle Bissantz, a percussionist. I do all the same stuff other percussionists do except the overblown self-promotion. This is where I share everything that is (to me) worth sharing.
Chances are, you're here because you've met me in person. I'm so very sorry for that.
Enjoy...
Okay... so why?
I've accumulated over 15 years educating and performing music. I have real experiences and perspectives to share. I choose to do that here—where I have the control.
Put simply: I don't self-promote anywhere but on stage, in real time. What I can't or don't share on stage, I share here.
I'm not in the business of harvesting or likes, shares, or follows as you scroll through feeds of who knows what else.
What I am interested in is your conscious attention. To me, this website is the digitial equivalent of you making a conscious effort to consume my work. That type of attention is precious to me and isn't taken for granted.
Regardless, if you've gotten even this far, thanks for being here.
Who I am in 10 Seconds
Musician of the drummer variety...for now. I'm picky with my pens and whiskey. Currently a university adjunct professor and going bald. I am targeting a future career in voice acting as an extension of my musicianship.
Who I am in 5 minutes
Education
I hold a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV). During my graduate studies, I began a five-year tenure as a high school associate band director and elementary music coordinator for the Diocese of Las Vegas. I concluded my fifth year as a Director of Instrumental Music before returning to UNLV for the DMA.
In 2014, I was an Artist In Residence for the Liberty Drum and Bugle Corps of Birmingham, England. This residency was a credit to the auspices of Mr. Timothy Palmer, co-founder of acclaimed percussion duo, Maraca2.
I was fortunate to have participated in the drum corps activity under the instruction of Thomas Hannum, Jeff Lee, Nick Angelis, and James Acona. I owe my success in the marching arts to those above alongside Brian Howerton of UNLV.
This experience led me to the eventual Executive Directorship of the Vegas Vanguard Percussion Theatre, a long-established WGI/SCPA indoor percussion program. During my first year as director, Vanguard earned the gold medal in A Class at the SCPA Championships in California.
In 2018 I found a home as an educational artist with Innovative Percussion and SABIAN Cymbals. That same year, I was published as a contributing author to Professor Emertius Gary D. Cook’s enhanced fourth edition of Teaching Percussion.
As of 2022, I am an Adjunct Professor at UNLV serving the Division of Percussion.
Performance
I performed regularly with the, now-defunct (thanks COVID), Vegas Vanguard Entertainment Drumline directed by Brian Howerton. For six years, I performed weekly at major nightlife venues on the Las Vegas Strip such as Hakkasan and OMNIA nightclubs.
I still regularly perform with the Los Angeles-based talent agency, E-Plus Productions, where I have shared the stage with the Blue Man Group, drummed while suspended from chandeliers, and atop 30-foot scaffolding.
In 2014—and again in 2016—I was privileged to perform and clinic at the Adelaide Fringe Festival and Percussive Arts Society Summer Drum Camp in Adelaide, South Australia. Similarly, I have performed and given clinics locally at the NVPAS Days of Percussion on a yearly basis.
You can hear me on three albums, Lost Vegas, Ventanas (principal timpanist), and The Return with the Grammy-nominated UNLV Wind Orchestra. I have recorded several non-credited tracks for various dance and hip hop albums at studios around Las Vegas. However, I’m still waiting on Biebs to hit me up.
I am currently a founding member of the Las Vegas Percussion Collective with Dr. Alex Stopa, Dr. Rachel Julian, and Dr. Jeremy Meronuck. In September of 2022, I was a featured artist and clinician in Chihuahua, Mexico at Universidad de Chihuahua alongside my colleagues and mentors Dr. Timothy Jones, Dr. Dean Gronemeier, and Mr. Javier Nandayapa of the world-renowned Nandayapa family marimba band.
What I'm Doing Now
I'm currently playing lots of videogames because I'm a child...