Scott Farkas is a musician, educator, and creative artist based in Tacoma, Washington, with a passion for connecting communities through music and art. He believes that everyone can—and should—make music for their whole lives. With a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in percussion from the University of Washington and degrees in percussion and composition from SUNY Fredonia and the University of Akron, Scott has built a career rooted in creativity, collaboration, and lifelong musicianship.
Scott draws inspiration from composers like Danny Clay, Kenneth Maue, and Jenny Beck, creating and performing participatory, instruction-based pieces that blur the line between audience and performer. His projects celebrate music as a universal, joyful language, making experimental art accessible to people of all experience levels.
Growing up near New York City, Scott studied percussion with Glenn Rhian, a Broadway percussionist, and later explored classical and experimental music with Kay Stonefelt and Bonnie Whiting, drum set with John Bacon and Ted Poor, and music from non-Western cultures with Bernard Woma and Tiffany Nicely. His performance credits include the Seattle Symphony, Boise Philharmonic, and Greenwich Symphony, as well as solo performances of works like James Romig’s Small Infinities glockenspiel concerto and Jennifer Higdon’s Percussion Concerto.
From 2012 to 2022, Scott served as a professor and Chair of Visual and Performing Arts at the College of Southern Idaho, where he directed initiatives like the Stage Door Series and hosted the Idaho premiere of John Luther Adams’ Inuksuit. He also hosted the Northwest Percussion Festival and a week-long residency of the Saakumu Dance Troupe from Ghana.
Now based in the Pacific Northwest, Scott continues to lead impactful projects like Playsound | Playground, an interactive sound installation co-created with Paulina Michels and exhibited in Seattle and Portland in the spring of 2023. He currently teaches percussion and chamber music at Pierce College, South Puget Sound Community College, and Graham-Kapowsin High School. Whether teaching, performing, or developing collaborative works, he remains committed to fostering a world where everyone has the opportunity to make and share music. Follow his journey on Instagram at @scottfarkaspercussion or visit scottfarkas.com.