Kit Chatham is an internationally recognized drummer/percussionist, performer, arranger, and educator. Kit’s experience in many forms of percussion, including drum set, world percussion, orchestral percussion, and marching percussion, makes him a highly sought after performer and clinician. Kit currently is the Drummer/Percussionist and Assistant Band Leader for Cirque du Soleil’s newest touring show, Kurios, and when not on tour resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. Kit has performed as Percussionist/Drummer also with Kooza by Cirque du Soleil (2013-2014), Zumanity by Cirque du Soleil (2012-2013), and Mystere by Cirque du Soleil (2013). Before those shows, Kit was the original Percussionist/Drummer for both creations of Viva Elvis by Cirque du Soleil (2009-2012) and Corteo by Cirque du Soleil (2005-2009) where he never missed a single show in over 5,000 shows. After 6 shows with Cirque, he is known around Cirque as the “Cirque-du-rummer.”
Before joining Cirque du Soleil, Kit finished an exciting run from 2003 to 2004 as the featured percussionist and music/percussion manager for the critically acclaimed instrumental theatrical show, CYBERJAM, performing in London, England’s West End. From 2001 up through 2003, Kit was the featured snare drum/percussion soloist with the Tony and Emmy Award winning Broadway showBLAST! touring all over the United States, Canada, Europe, and Japan. Kit performed with numerous bands and ensembles prior to joining BLAST! and toured throughout North America and Europe at venues like the legendary Montreux Jazz Festival, the Vienne Jazz Festival, and many other festivals.
Kit has arranged, composed, and designed for some of the Nation’s top music ensembles. Including such groups as the Crossmen Drum & Bugle Corp, The University of Georgia, Terminus Percussion Theatre, Atlanta Quest, Odyssey Percussion Theatre, Core-Percussion from Japan, and numerous scholastic groups throughout North America and Japan. Kit has also published 6 books on percussion and is co-creator of the Principal Percussion Series for Percussion. This series is featured in SmartMusic’s ground breaking software and was a result of collaborating with SmartMusic. www.PrincipalPercussionSeries.com. Kit received his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from The University of Georgia where he studied with Dr. Thomas McCutchen and Dr. Arvin Scott. While attending, he instructed & arranged for the 2000 Sudler Trophy winning University of Georgia Redcoat Band, performed in numerous ensembles, and toured Europe performing at many prestigious jazz festivals.Kit continues to give clinics and master classes on percussion around the world and is a proud endorser of Vic Firth Stick & Mallets, Yamaha Drums & Percussion, SabianCymbals, Evans Drumheads, Alternate Mode, Offworld Percussion and fXpansion Music Software.
