About

Riley Palmer is a Percussionist and Drummer based in New York City, playing in a wide range of musical settings. Recent collaborations have included The Philip Glass Ensemble, The Orchestra of the League of Composers, Talujon Percussion, the Grammy-winning Brooklyn Youth Chorus, InfraSound New Music, the Zaffre Duo, and is currently subbing the Percussion book for The Great Gatsby on Broadway. Regular venues Riley can be heard in are the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Merkin Hall, Lincoln Center, and the DiMenna Center. Active in the contemporary music scene, he has worked with many living composers including Eve Beglarian, Eli Greenhoe, Michael Gordon, Nicole Lizeé, Steve Reich, Joan Tower, and Julia Wolfe.

As a drummer, Riley often plays for Musical Theatre, and can be heard in many pits as well as in cabarets at 54 Below, Green Room 42, and others in the New York area.

A regular collaborator with dance, Riley has served as an accompanist with many dance schools including Martha Graham, Paul Taylor, Mark Morris, Ballet Hispanico, and Alvin Ailey, and has been a featured musician for performances at New York City Center and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Riley is also an active educator - click the “Teaching” page to learn more.

Riley completed his musical studies at the Eastman School of Music, University of Michigan, and Mannes School of Music in NYC. Previous teachers include Michael Burritt, Joseph Gramley, and Maya Gunji for percussion, as well as hand drumming with Glen Velez and drum set with Kendrick Scott.