What is a professional musician? It can mean a multitude of things. Generally, it’s a mindset more so than being proficient in a set of skills. Having this mental fortitude to keep yourself organized, diligent, open to criticism, and ultimately, serving the music is what guides how we carry ourselves on and offstage. We will discuss a wide range of topics—from practice tools to budgeting—so that there are as few distractions as possible in achieving our goal of becoming one with the music.

Presenter bio:

Wesley Sumpter is a percussionist and drummer from Atlanta, GA. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Percussion Performance from the University of Georgia and continued on to the University of Southern California for a Master’s degree in Performance. Wesley is currently a percussion and timpani fellow with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, a position he has had since Fall 2018. Wesley can be heard on a number of LA Phil recordings, including their 2021 Grammy-winning Ives’ symphonies cycle. Wesley is also a member of Lineage Percussion, which performs in multiple cities around the country, including at their most recent residency at the University of Maryland. Lastly, he is member of Misnomer, a band founded with fellow musicians in the jazz program at the University of Georgia.