Patrick Graham
Over a two decade career based in Montreal, Canadian multi-percussionist Patrick Graham has been described as a “master improviser… on the border of several forms of traditional and creative music, embracing the world of rhythm as a whole” (Yves Bernard, Le Devoir). Patrick displays a talent for fusing an eclectic array of influences—ranging from Japanese percussion, through Indian and Irish rhythms, to Mediterranean frame drumming—as a well as a passion for new sounds and improvisation. This unique cross-genre approach is reflective of an extensive and ongoing study of the art of percussion, including a Bachelor of Music from McGill University in Montreal, as well as private training in several countries with Trichy Sankaran, Glen Velez, Carlo Rizzo, Zohar Fresco and Taichi Ozaki. In addition, Patrick has attended workshops and master classes at the Banff Centre for the Arts, Simon Fraser University, the Labyrinth centre in Crete and participated in the Taiko Koh-Kan workshops conducted by the group Kodō, on Sado Island in Japan.
Patrick performs, tours and records regularly with the groups Trifolia, Small World Project, La Nef, Thomas Carbou, On Ensemble, Kaoru Watanabe, and many more. Collaborations of note include projects with Constantinople, Autorickshaw, Ganesh Anandan, the Penderecki String Quartet, Jesse Stewart, David Greenberg, Yves Lambert, Le Vent du Nord, Ramasutra, Tetsuro Naito, Kohei Nishikawa, Solorazaf, Peter Herbert, Carlo Rizzo, Pierre Hamon, Kudsi Erguner, Michel Baklouk Merhej, and Bob Brozman. Patrick has worked with dancer-choreographers Hideo Arai, Tomomi Morimoto, and Roger Sinha, recorded soundtracks for Michel Cusson, Ramachandra Borcar, and Benoit Charest, as well as contributing to productions by IMAX, Cirque du Soleil and Ubisoft Games. Alongside a busy performing and recording schedule, Patrick is also active as an instructor, teaching percussion and rhythm workshops in Canada, the USA, India, China and Japan, as well as for the Cirque du Soleil.
