Daveed Korup Bio
Percussionist & educator Daveed Korup sparks the imagination with his evocative synthesis of North African and Turko-Persian traditions interwoven with contemporary Western percussion styles. Author of Tao Te Drum Vol. 1 & 2: Eastern Drumming for Western Drummers and Drumming by the Numbers, Daveed’s artistic vision is centered on the belief that “The world is a giant drum just waiting to be played!!!”
Since 1983, Daveed has been on an ever-evolving rhythm journey. Through school programs, residency projects, summer drum camps, festivals, and workshops, he shares his knowledge of world percussion in the guise of KidsDRUM!: a hands-on, multi-cultural drumming experience for people of all ages. With an extensive collection of hands-on multicultural lesson plans, that promotes strong curriculum connections between the drum (the universal storyteller) and core subjects, i.e. reading, writing, math, science, social studies, etc.
In 2007, Daveed became the Performing Arts Specialist for Port Discovery Children’s Museum, Baltimore MD, where he has continued to develop an extensive repertoire of multi-disciplinary, arts-integrated programs, including the World Rhythm Drum Circus, Kamishibai (Japanese paper theater), and the Whack-a-Boom Orchestra.
A true rhythm evangelist and consummate artistic collaborator, Daveed has worked with such eclectic ensembles, as The New World Renaissance Band, Moving Poets Theater of Dance, and Without Borders, chamber music for the 21st century.
From a limited edition, signature drum collection with Mid-East Manufacturing to performing along the Silk Road in Samarkand, Uzbekistan as lead percussionist for Turku: Nomads of the Silk Road, representing the United States at the Third Annual Sharq Taronalari Music Festival, sponsored by UNESCO and the Uzbekistan government, Daveed continues to connect rhythm to the everyday world. A graduate of Northern Illinois University (1981), Daveed is the co-founder of the Baltimore Drum Church (2016) and the creator of KidsDRUM!.
Daveed Korup began teaching at The ASK Academy in 2018 as a substitute teacher and earned his permanent New Mexico teaching license in 2021. As of this year, Korup is now teaching US History for 8th grade.
