Douglas Cardwell currently holds the position of Principal Timpanist with the New Mexico Symphony Philharmonic. He has served on the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra Artistic Advisory Committee and as President of the Orchestra Committee. During his tenure, Linda & Carl Alongi endowed his Principal Timpani chair. In 2004, Mr. Cardwell was appointed Principal Timpanist of the National Sphinx Orchestra [http://www.sphinxmusic.org]. He is a versatile musician. In addition to playing symphonic & African percussion, Cardwell is adept at other musical genres as well.
From 1994 to 1996, he was the Fellowship recipient with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and continued to perform with DSO throughout the 1998-1999 season including recording and touring Eastern and Western Europe. Cardwell received a Bachelor of Music Education degree from James Madison University. He performed with the Houston Symphony Orchestra (1992-94) on an Orchestral Internship earning him a full tuition scholarship to Rice University where he received a Master of Music Performance degree from the Shepherd School of Music. Other credits include the Houston Grand Opera, the Spoleto Festival Orchestra in Italy and an international tour with the American-Russian Orchestra.
While living in the Detroit area he was a member of “Embaire” which performs West African and Western percussion ensemble music. Their work focused on the drumming of Ghana and Uganda, as well as, compositions for the Ugandan xylophone, from which the ensemble takes its name. Cardwell has presented master classes at University of New Mexico and James Madison University and has served as percussion instructor in Michigan at North Farmington High School, and in Texas, at Lee College, Cypress-Fairbanks, and Spring Branch Independent School Districts.
As founder of the After Five jazz quartet and member of the Latin group La Cofradia, Cardwell performs at local venues when not teaching privately at his percussion studio in Albuquerque.
Visit http://www.DCpercussion.com/ to view new timpani mallets; The DC Series.
