About Ian Mahaffey

Ian Mahaffey is currently in his final year of pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Percussion Performance at the University of South Carolina. Ian is a student of Dr. Scott Herring and is a graduate assistant where he teaches lessons and directs the Palmetto Pans Steel Band. Outside of his responsibilities as a student, he is an active performer and educator where he has his own private lessons studio, and is a percussion instructor at Blythewood High School. Before beginning his doctoral studies, he completed his master’s degree in Percussion Performance at the University of South Carolina, and completed his undergraduate studies at Coastal Carolina University, under Dr. Jesse Willis. Ian spent the summers of 2013-2015 as a member of the Coastal Surge Drum and Bugle Corps where he played snare drum. He was was a Drum Corps International Open-Class finalist in 2014,  and was later appointed to battery section leader in 2015 before the corps dissolved. During his last year of his undergrad at Coastal Carolina University, Ian taught the percussion section of the Coastal Carolina University Chanticleer Regiment Marching Band. Ian has also served as a percussion instructor for a variety of high school band programs around the state of South Carolina. Ian is a proud educational endorser of Vic Firth and Zildjian.