About
Russell Wharton (born 1990) is a percussion educator, performer, arranger, and composer living in Nashville, Tennessee. With a diverse background and a wide range of influences, Russell aims to make connections across disciplines to create meaningful musical experiences for audiences, performers, and students.
Writing music is Russell’s primary calling. His original compositions fuse expressive live performances, striking multimedia accompaniments, and a flair for the cinematic. Russell uses composition as a means of self-expression, so it brings him great joy that it has connected with audiences and performers. His music has been performed in countries all around the world, and is published by Tapspace Publications and Music Chunks.
In the marching world, Russell has been an arranger since 2010. He has written for numerous high schools throughout the years, and his groups have received many accolades, including finalist placements at BOA Grand Nationals and Texas UIL State Marching Band Contests. Russell is currently the arranger for Red Wave Indoor (PIW), DrumSpirit (Belgium), and several fall and winter ensembles.
As an educator, Russell enjoys working with high-level students and seeks to help them reach their full potential. He is the Battery Coordinator for The Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps, winners of the 2023 Fred Sanford Award for Best Percussion Performance. He is a staff member at Rhythm X, perennial medalist and 3-time champion in WGI Percussion Independent World. Russell is an adjunct member of the faculty with Middle Tennessee State University, and teaches part-time at Nolensville High School.
Russell is also an active clinician and judge. He has presented multiple sessions on bass drumming at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC), and has judged the PAS marching competitions. Russell is a regular judge in the Tennessee marching circuits, and has given clinics and masterclasses at schools in Texas, Tennessee, Michigan, Indiana, and Honduras.
Russell received his Master of Music degree from Indiana University in 2018, and received his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Texas Christian University in 2013. At those institutions, he is grateful to have studied with John Tafoya, Kevin Bobo, Michael Spiro, Steve Houghton, P.Q. Phan, Aaron Travers, Brian West, Dave Hall, Joey Carter, Martin Blessinger.
Russell is a member of the PAS Marching Committee, and endorses Pearl/Adams, Innovative Percussion, Remo, and Zildjian.
In his free time, Russell enjoys cooking, video games, movies, reading, exercising, the outdoors, and hanging out with his girlfriend, Regina, and their cat, Nina.