About

Jake Voight is a dedicated educator, ethnomusicologist, composer, and percussionist whose study is spread across an array of musical traditions. Based in Morgantown, West Virginia, Jake is pursuing Master’s degrees in Percussion Performance and Musicology at West Virginia University, where he also works as a Graduate Assistant in the Musicology Department. He is also earning a Graduate Certificate in Music Business and Industry. 

Jake also studied in Ghana at the Dagara Music Center under Jerome Balsab and Tijan Dorwana, learning drum, xylophone, and dance traditions of the Dagara, Ga, and Ewe people.

As an educator, Jake has worked with top high school ensembles in Michigan, coaching concert, world, and marching arts programs. He has consulted with front ensembles and marching groups across the U.S. as a specialist in percussion and electronics. Through his role with Harmonic Percussion, he supports music students and professionals alike with instrument rentals, audio design, and percussion education.

Jake’s performance career includes being a founding member of the “Magnificent 7” percussion ensemble, which toured nationally, performing in schools, community centers, and concert halls. The group premiered Patrick Fitzgibbon’s work, “Every Way But Forward.” He was also contracted with the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps in their 2020 season, prior to the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Jake’s skills extend to musical theatre, where he has performed in many productions in Southeast Michigan, adding depth to shows with his percussion expertise. He also composes and scores films, with works like the short films “Party Slasher” and “Double Oh, Blunder.” His steel pan solo, recently published by C. Alan Publications, showcases his innovative approach to composition.