Caleb Conner
About this Artist
Based in the Greater Los Angeles Area, percussionist Caleb Conner has been an active freelance musician for over a decade. He earned his Bachelor of Music degree in Percussion Performance from Azusa Pacific University in 2014, where he studied percussion with Bill Schlitt and drum-set with Mark Converse. Following his undergraduate studies, Conner was awarded the principal timpani position with the Young Musician’s Foundation Debut Orchestra, serving for two seasons from 2015–2017. During this time, he continued his percussion studies at UCLA under Raynor Carroll and Theresa Dimond, completing his Master of Music degree in June 2017.
An accomplished performer across Southern California, Conner has appeared with organizations such as the American Youth Symphony, Los Angeles Opera Company, Dream Orchestra, South Coast Symphony, and the Desert Symphony, as well as numerous church ensembles. He currently holds the position of principal timpanist with the San Gabriel Valley Symphony and serves as staff percussionist at the First Baptist Church of Glendale. Since 2019, Conner has also performed as half of The Apex Duo, a cello-percussion ensemble with cellist Ashley Ng Conner, presenting works by modern composers to audiences throughout Los Angeles County.
In addition to performing, Conner is a dedicated educator. He teaches privately and in group settings and currently serves as a percussion teaching artist for YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles) at the Judith and Thomas L. Beckman YOLA Center—an LA Phil program that provides high-quality music education to students from historically marginalized communities. He also works with Maranatha High School in Pasadena as a drum-line coach and orchestra assistant, inspiring young musicians to reach their full potential.