About Us
Oregano Percussion is a Toronto-based group that performs music from around the world. With a vast array of percussion instruments, they combine different styles from Latin to Caribbean music, songwriting pop, percussion chamber music and world/jazz. Their spicy touch focuses on new and traditional tunes from various cultures. Alejandro Céspedes and Michelle Colton are artists and endorsers of Pearl Percussion & Adams Musical Instruments; Dream Cymbals & Gongs; and Humes & Berg. They both have an active freelance/teaching career in Toronto. Oregano Percussion performs throughout North America and recently presented clinics at schools in the U.S. and Cuba. In May, 2015, they were Artists-in-Residence at MusicFest Canada.
We are
Dr. Michelle Colton
Dr. Michelle Colton is a versatile percussionist, composer, and singer songwriter who recently released her debut album, Unpredictable Nature. She received her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in percussion from the University of Toronto. Dr. Colton performed in Beijing and Shenyang, China in 2006, in Tokyo, Japan in 2008 at the Keiko Abe Masterclass, and in Havana, Cuba in 2014 as a guest artist/clinician. She was a percussion instructor for the Iowa Ambassadors of Music tours in the UK and Europe. She has studied musical instruments and styles from Japan, India, Bali, Ghana, Trinidad, Cuba, China, and Brazil. She earned first place in the University of Toronto DMA Recital Competition and Concerto Competition. She often plays with the Kingston and Toronto Symphony Orchestras and has performed with NEXUS and Dame Evelyn Glennie. Oregano Percussion served as Artists-in-Residence at MusicFest Canada in May, 2015. Dr. Colton was also featured as a marimba soloist with the Montreal Wind Orchestra at MusicFest. She currently teaches percussion lessons in the percussion preparatory department at the University of Toronto. Dr. Colton is an artist and endorser of Pearl/Adams Musical Instruments and Dream Cymbals & Gongs. www.michellecolton.com
Alejandro Céspedes, M.Mus
Alejandro Céspedes, M.Mus, is an active freelance percussionist and educator in Toronto who studied with Russell Hartenberger at the University of Toronto, and Roberto Concepción at Amadeo Roldán Conservatory in Havana, Cuba. He performs classical percussion, body percussion, Latin percussion and steel drums. Céspedes performed with the National Opera and Ballet Orchestra of Cuba and the Kingston Symphony. He has performed with Bobby McFerrin, Bernard Fowler, Jane Bunnett; and the Buena Vista Social Club. He performed at Luminato and Toronto’s Body Percussion Festival. He was a musician/dancer/actor for Venom of Love and The Power of Harriet T! Céspedes has taught percussion at the Regent Park School of Music, the National Music Camp of Canada, Manuel Saumell and Amadeo Roldán Conservatory in Havana. He also conducted body percussion workshops at Lizt Alfonso Dance Company in Havana and McGill University in Montreal. He is Co-founder of Oregano Percussion, which combines songwriting pop and percussion chamber music with world/jazz. Céspedes is an artist/endorser of Pearl/Adams Musical Instruments and Humes & Berg. www.flowingpercussion.com
