About
Brian Prokop is a musician/educator in the northern NJ and NYC area who has been playing drums for over 30 years.
Brian started out with just a practice pad and a pair of sticks, but it wasn’t long before his parents decided to support his new interest by purchasing him a drum set. He began taking lessons at the age of nine.
In high school, Brian was a member of all the school ensembles (concert band, marching band, jazz band) and played with many local groups.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology from William Patterson University in New Jersey, Brian made the decision to re-focus his energy towards music and drumming, taking lessons with top players and educators, including Darren Patrick, Jay Dittamo, Ron Thaler, Joe Bergamini and Ignacio Berroa.
Brian loves to share his passion for music and drumming with students of all ages and ability levels. His work as a private instructor has instilled a continuing appreciation of music and the arts in his students. His ability to communicate musical concepts and techniques effectively is evident in his ever-growing presence in musical performances and programs throughout the community. Brian’s students have been accepted into county & region ensembles as well as college & university music programs.
In addition to his private students, Brian has worked as the Percussion Instructor for the Midland Park High School Marching Band and Indian Hills High School Marching Band since 2005. He has also written & arranged the percussion program at MPHS for multiple seasons. In 2019, the MPHS Marching Band won their first NY State Field Band Championship for SS3.
Brian continues to perform with countless musicians and groups in the tri-state area in styles such as rock, pop, R&B, hip-hop, blues and jazz. He is also an active player with various local school and regional musical theatre productions.
Brian is a member of the Percussive Arts Society (PAS) and the Sabian Education Network, and he has been a judge for the Guitar Center Drum Off in Paramus, NJ.
For a list of upcoming performances, check out the Calendar page.
For more information on studying with Brian, go to the Lessons page.
