Dr. Gifford Howarth is currently Associate Professor of Percussion at Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania - Bloomsburg, located in Bloomsburg, PA. His previous teaching duties included teaching at Michigan State University, and Nazareth College (Rochester, NY). Dr. Howarth received his DMA degree from Michigan State University, his Masters from Kent State University, and his Bachelor's degree from Ithaca College. He has presented clinics and workshops throughout the US, Canada, Asia, and Europe. These include teaching in Singapore, China, Thailand, The Netherlands, Sweden, and Malaysia. He has also presented at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago, the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC), several MENC All-State Conferences, and PAS Day of Percussion events. The focus for most of the workshops is geared around percussion education. Through two separate sabbatical projects, Dr. Howarth has traveled to and experienced the local music in Bali, Indonesia, Dublin, Ireland, Shanghai, China, and Kyoto, Japan, along with classical Indian and Chinese music taking place in Singapore, Singapore. Dr. Howarth is a National Yamaha Performing Artist, and a Signature Artist for the Vic Firth Company.