Clinton Symphony Orchestra Principal Timpanist Jeffrey D. Grubbs has resided in the Syracuse, New York area since 1980 and is a native of Memphis, Tennessee. He served in an acting principal timpani capacity with Symphoria ("Syracuse's Orchestra") on numerous Masterworks Series concerts between 2016 and 2019. He is the Principal Timpanist of the Colgate University Orchestra and is a tenured member of the Glimmerglass Festival Orchestra percussion section. Additionally, Mr. Grubbs is the Principal Percussionist and Associate Timpanist of the Catskill Symphony Orchestra. He has served on the faculties of Schenectady County Community College and Hartwick College.                                         

Mr. Grubbs holds a Bachelors of Music in Percussion Performance from Boston Conservatory of Music and a Masters of Music in Percussion Performance from New England Conservatory. His studio instructors include Arthur C. Press, the late Fred D. Hinger, Frank Epstein and the late Alan Abel.                                                             

Grubbs has composed several original compositions for percussion ensemble ("Fanfare for Percussion Quartet," "Lullaby Rhapsody," "Two Musical Pictures") and has implemented arrangements/transcriptions of several significant orchestral works ("Selections from Ravel's 'Mother Goose Ballet' ," the "Adagietto" from Mahler's Symphony No. 5, "Habanera" from Ravel's 'Rapsodie Espagnole') for keyboard percussion ensemble. "Fanfare for Percussion" and the "Adagietto" from Mahler's Symphony No. 5 are published by Tapspace.com Publications in Portland, Oregon and "Selections from Ravel's 'Mother Goose Ballet' " is published by Mr. Grubbs' JDG Percussion Enterprises.