Abe Finch

Abe Finch is a Boston-area freelance percussionist and music educator, particularly excited about chamber orchestra and choral timpani playing, constantly studying the history of these practices and sharing the sheer fun and variety of these musical formats with his students.

Abe was the featured percussionist in several new choral works, including the world premier of James Kallembach’s Audubon, performing with Chorus Pro Musica under the direction of Jamie Kirsch, making “salient work of Kallembach’s involved percussion writing.” (Jonathan Blumhofer, Boston Classical Review.) He also provided percussion for Chorus Pro Musica’s performance of the little match girl passion by David Lang, creating a tapestry of sound using iOS integration and Ableton Live software to capture, process, and transform acoustic sound in real time with ethereal effects.

Abe plays timpani, drum set, bodhran, and comedic percussion with Revels, Inc., being featured in the Midwinter Revels and on seven Revels CD releases, while also having coached a group of his own students in the Revels production of Benjamin Britten’s Noye’s Flood.

Abe composes original works for percussion, including thematic pieces for children, advanced percussion ensemble repertoire, and arrangements for steel drum ensemble. At Salem State University he is director of percussion activities and the small ensemble program, and holds positions at Phillips Academy, Groton School and Northern Essex Community College.

Abe’s hobbies include puzzling, architecture, design, construction and landscaping, using his own home as a lab for innovative techniques, eco-friendly practices and creativity.