Adam Osmianski

Adam Osmianski is a drummer and percussionist from Pittsburgh, PA. He holds a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Performance and a Master of Music in Jazz Pedagogy from West Virginia University, where he now serves as a lecturer in the School of Music. At WVU, Adam teaches online courses in jazz history, 20th-century American popular music, music in world cultures, and music technology.

Since completing his graduate studies, Adam has built an international career as a performer and educator. He has toured and presented workshops in Brazil, China, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, and throughout Europe, in venues ranging from concert halls and jazz clubs to universities and conservatories. 

Adam performs as both a bandleader and sideman in a variety of musical settings, with a focus on jazz and Brazilian music, and has appeared on numerous commercial recordings. He is a longtime member of piano/vocalist Joy Ellis’ group and leads the nine-piece Brazilian jazz ensemble Samba Azul, which blends Brazilian repertoire with modern arrangements and improvisation. 

As a clinician, Adam has led workshops at institutions including the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (Brazil), Tianjin Conservatory of Music (China), Universiti Malaya (Malaysia), The Guildhall School of Music and Drama (UK), and Duquesne University (USA).

Adam’s writing has been published in Modern Drummer Magazine, Music Teacher Magazine, and the Jazzinstitut Darmstadt. He also runs thatdrumblog.blogspot.com, an educational resource focused on rhythm and drumming.