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      About Joe Barna

      Joe Barna
      Joe Barna
      Music Teacher, Master
      Location: Latham, NY
      Speaks: English
      Instructs: Drums, Music Theory
      Education: BFA Fine Arts, SUNY Purchase
      Performance Experience: 30 years performing behind the drums for some of the worlds most respected jazz, rock, theater and classical artists.
      Teaching Experience: 30 years helping guide young minds and older students alike on their own unique personal journeys through the exciting world of percussion and composition.
      Teaching Philosophy: Joe strives to inspire each indivdual student to discover their unique voice at the drums. He is a highly skilled musician who has answers to just about any question and can demonstrate techniques from a variety of styles.

      Get to know Joe Barna

        Joe Barna is a Drummer/Composer/Bandleader originally from Troy, NY whose passion and dedication to music have taken him around the world. He is a former student of SCCC in Schenectady, NY and holds a Bachelors of Fine Arts from SUNY Purchase in Westchester, NY. 

      Joe spent his first 4 years of college focused on classical percussion and performance before transferring to the music conservatory at Purchase in 1999. While at Purchase, he had the privilege to study with jazz greats the likes of Jon Faddis, Hal Galper, Adam Nussbaum, John Riley, Todd Coolman and Ralph Lalama. In 2004 Barna received his BFA in Jazz Studies with a focus on drumset performance & composition.

        Some of the outstanding performers Barna has had the honor of performing alongside include: 3 time Grammy Award winners The Celtic Tenors, 7 time Grammy Award recipient Gary Smulyan, world renowned classical violinist Peter Fisher and 4 time Grammy Award recipient Ralph Lalama.

        Other notable performances include Joe Magnarelli, Dick Oatts, Joel Frahm, Jon Gordon, Lee Shaw, Grant Stewart, Jim Rotondi, Keith Pray, Charlie Sigler, George Muscatello, Ray Vega, Jerry Weldon, Stacy Dillard, Jon Elbaz, Matt Garrison, Victor Gould, Lee Russo, Bryan Patneaude, The Big Soul Ensemble and his own original band Sketches Of Influence.
        Joe has taken his passion and talent abroad to Canada, Australia, Russia, France, Italy, Spain, Mexico, New Zealand, Dubai UAE, Turkey and Egypt. In addition to performing in these destinations he has also traveled across the United States and through the Caribbean Islands. In 2013, Barna also performed around the coasts of Hawaii, Fiji, Tahiti and New Caledonia.
        In addition to his above credits Barna has recorded on over 10 albums as a sideman and has 6 albums as a bandleader. His most recent effort, The Purpose (2022) is an album dedicated to his mother Pamela Rose Barna.
      Joe Barna teaches at:
      579 Troy Schenectady Rd
      Latham, NY 12110
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      With over 250 locations nationwide, Music & Arts is the nation’s leading provider of private music lessons, band and orchestra instrument sales, rentals and repairs. Our remarkable story of growth has everything to do with the countless unshakable relationships we’ve formed with students, parents, music educators and musicians of every stripe in the local communities we serve across the country. Since opening our first store back in 1952, we’ve been owned and operated by the same family, and there’s nothing we do as a company without our values in mind. For whatever you’re doing in music, we’re here to help. We hope you visit our Latham location soon! Our friendly staff can’t wait to meet you.