Jason Rodon

Percussion

Performing with the Denver Brass and the demands that it brings, the busy life of a musician is compounded for percussionist Jason Rodon by the over 1000 trips he has made up and down the mountains between his home in Breckenridge and performances in Denver. His role as percussionist calls for cartage of all the large and small equipment including 4 timpani, marimbas, xylophones, drum set, and the myriad of other sticks, drums of all kinds, cymbals and too many accessories to count. For most of his time with Denver Brass, this was all carried in a 1987 Volkswagen Vanagon, but he now boasts a new Mercedes 4x4 van for this long haul. Educated at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee for his undergraduate work (with percussion teacher Pavel Burda) and the University of Denver, Lamont School of Music (with percussion teacher John Kinzie) for his M.M. degree, Jason has kept the beat for the Denver Brass since 1998. He is also a longtime member of the contemporary music ensemble, “The Playground Ensemble.”

Jason has his own woodworking construction company in Breckenridge, along with several interesting avocations including remote airplane flying, handmade drone building/flyingl and teaching yoga at his own studio! Being a mountain man, you can find Jason biking, skiing and skateboarding after which he retreats to his wood-fired sauna. Sanity comes from his true love, Leslie, and his cats, Little Man and Herman. While we might give Jason grief for not owning a brass instrument (does the cow bell count?), we all know his amazing percussion skills are indispensable to the unique sound of The Denver Brass.