Michael J. Calamas (he/him)

Professional Summary

     Dedicated percussionist, educator, and entrepreneur with extensive experience in music performance, instruction, and marketing. Passionate about fostering musical growth in students, delivering high-quality performances, and leveraging marketing strategies to enhance audience engagement. Skilled in audio/video production, content creation, and business management.

Education

University of South Carolina

Master of Music in Percussion

Columbia, SC | August 2024 - May 2026

• Graduate Assistant, The Collective, New Music and Community Engagement Chamber Ensemble.

University of South Carolina

Bachelor of Music in Percussion Performance, cum laude

Columbia, SC | August 2017 - May 2021

• Inaugural Recipient of the Jim Hall Scholarship for Percussion

Music Entrepreneurship

Wildlight Publications LLC | Music Publishing

Co-founder, Operations Director | 2020 - Present

• Co-founded and managed daily operations for a contemporary percussion publishing company, overseeing artist relations, marketing, and media production

• Built and manages company website using Shopify with custom CSS & HTML.

• Coordinate with composers and customers, manage sales data, and facilitate purchase orders and invoices for educational institutions

• Lead marketing strategy through Meta Business Suite, create visual content for social media, and produce promotional music videos; oversees social media engagement and content creation ensuring consistent quality and brand presentation across all products

• Produce the company’s podcast Set to Fire, managing scheduling, recording, and post-production

• Coordinates multi-day audio and video recording projects.

• Co-organized a commission consortium with 16 members for solo percussion work.

• Manages company finances, contracts, and tax compliance.

• Recruits and coordinates onboarding of composers.

The Wildlight Collective | Professional Percussion Ensemble

Founding Member, Performer | 2022 - Present

• Co-founded a professional percussion collective comprised of elite performers from institutions including the Eastman School of Music, Florida State University, and the University of South Carolina.

• Directs the ensemble’s mission to evolve the percussion repertoire through the active commissioning and recording of new works by contemporary composers.

• Oversees administrative logistics and personnel coordination for a geographically dispersed ensemble of professional musicians across the East Coast.

• Spearheads a unique "performance-to-publication" pipeline, utilizing the collective as a premier vehicle for works released through Wildlight Publications.

• Fosters a collaborative musical community by bridging the gap between professional performance, high-level pedagogy, and modern music publishing.

Humlux Media | Video/Audio Production

Founder & Lead Producer | 2021–Present

• Provides professional video and audio recording services specializing in music performance.

• Plans and coordinates multi-day recording sessions.

• Audio engineering and video editing using Logic Pro X, Adobe Premiere, and DaVinci Resolve.

• Clients include USC Percussion Ensemble, The Collective at USC, USC Wind Ensemble, Furman University Percussion Ensemble, Eastman School of Music, 3D Percussion, Malletech, Blythewood High School, River Bluff High School.

• View Portfolio Here

Selected Performances

Chamber Ensemble Performances

• International Percussion Ensemble Competition Winner's Performance, Percussive Arts Society International Convention, Indianapolis, IN (2024)

  • Seaborne, Neustadter | Piano, USC Percussion Ensemble

  • To the Boy from Venus with Love, Brown | Piano, USC Percussion Ensemble

  • Jolene, Parton arr. Matthew White | Vibraphone, USC Percussion Ensemble

Solo Performances

• Solo Recital, University of South Carolina (2026)

  • Featuring works by Laurello, Blackard, Cangelosi, Viñao

• Solo Recital (2021)

  • Featuring works by Viñao, Siegel, Kraft, Psathas, Calamas

• Solo Recital (2020)

  • Featuring works by Klatzow, Cangelosi, Viñao, JS Bach, Tagawa

Orchestral Performances

• Missa in tempora belli, Haydn | Principal Timpani, USC Symphony Orchestra, Koger Center for the Arts (2026)

• Dona Nobis Pacem, Vaughan Williams | Principal Timpani, USC Symphony Orchestra, Koger Center for the Arts (2026)

• A Midsummer Night's Dream, Mendelssohn | Section Percussion, South Carolina Ballet Orchestra, Koger Center for the Arts (2025)

• Symphony No.8, Dvorak | Principal Timpani, USC Symphony Orchestra, Koger Center for the Arts (2025)

• Symphony No.9, Beethoven | Section Percussion, USC Symphony Orchestra, St. Johns Methodist Church Aiken, SC (2025)

• Selections from Anna Karenina, Demutsky | Section Percussion, USC Symphony Orchestra with Joffrey Ballet, Koger Center for the Arts (2025)

• Symphony No.5, Mahler | Section Percussion, USC Symphony Orchestra, Koger Center for the Arts (2019)

Album Releases

• Michael J Calamas, Chapter One, Independent Release, 2025.

  • Chamber Percussion Ensemble, Solo Works

• Michael J Calamas, Trio Manic, Independent Release, 2025.

  • Experimental New Music, Saxophone, Piano, Percussion

Publications

• Chorale No.1 (2023), Marimba Solo, Wildlight Publications.

• Agnosthesia (2022), Percussion Ensemble and Electronics, Wildlight Publications.

• Æther 6 (2021), Percussion Ensemble, Wildlight Publications

• Mechanisms (2020), Multi Percussion Solo and Electronics, Wildlight Publications

• Ego Death (2019), Saxophone and Steel Pan Duet, Wildlight Publications.

• Nhiyr (2019), Percussion Duet and Electronics, Wildlight Publications.

Teaching and Pedagogy

Irmo High School International School for the Arts

Assistant Director of Bands & Director of Percussion | 2022–2024

• Taught Percussive Arts, World Percussion, Piano, and SPED Adaptive Music for grades 9–12.

• Led music and visual caption rehearsals during the competitive marching band season.

• Created and taught an after-school percussion ensemble for middle school students.

• Collaborated with orchestra, chorus, and theater directors for public performances.

• Led teacher professional development on implementing technology in the classroom.

River Bluff High School

Percussion Technician | 2024–Present

• Instructs front ensemble and drumline on technique and show music during the competitive season

• Teaches private lessons to students in 9th - 12th grade

• Assists in coaching percussion ensemble

Teaching Philosophy

As a teacher, my goal is to help students become self-sufficient learners. I believe that learning is most effective when students are given the freedom to explore and experiment, rather than relying on memorization alone. In percussion performance, understanding how our brains develop neural highways and how important understanding movement is, I focus on helping students identify and correct mistakes early. 

I use minimal verbal instruction, I prefer to teach using visual cues and repetition to guide students through new challenges. I hope to encourage students to take ownership of their learning by guiding them through a planned curriculum of repertoire early in their education. Students should be able to take away specific lessons in regards to their technique and skill toolkit that they can later map onto new repertoire. 

Over time, I trust them to make decisions about their practice and continue to grow independently. I believe in recognizing and emphasizing effort over talent, fostering an environment where all students are on equal footing. I strive to understand each student’s individual goals and provide the support they need to succeed. Ultimately, my goal for my students is for them to feel confident in their ability to continue learning when I am no longer a part of their daily studies. 

Marketing Experience

Aiken Symphony

Director of Social Media | November 2025 - Present

• Develop and execute a full-season social media strategy to increase brand awareness, engagement, and ticket sales.

• Create, edit, and publish original content across all social media platforms, including video, photography, and written posts aligned with the Symphony's branding and marketing goals.

• Attend rehearsals, concerts, and community events to capture promotional media for digital campaigns.

• Monitor engagement metrics, analyze campaign performance, and prepare summary reports for Symphony leadership.

• Collaborate with the Executive Director, General Manager, Music Director, and external marketing partners to coordinate content and budget allocation. 

• Draft press releases for the concert season and individual performances to support publicity and outreach efforts. 

University of South Carolina

Marketing Fellow, USC School of Music | August 2024 - Present

• Support the School of Music’s marketing and communications through social media.

• Create visual materials for both internal and external platforms, including posters, digital signage, and reels.

• Produce multi-camera video projects highlighting university ensembles and events.

• Contribute to a centralized media archive used to update website landing pages and promotional materials.