Music - Instrumental

Beyond The Classroom: 

The Teacher

Jarrett Walser has been a professional drummer for 15 years and music educator for 10 years. He attended Rutgers University, Mason Gross School of the Arts, where he received his B.A. (2012) and M.M. (2017) in Jazz Performance. While there he studied with world-class musicians, Victor Lewis, Ralph Bowen and Conrad Herwig to name a few. He has also performed with several notable musicians including bassists Rufus Reid, Kenny Davis, Mike Boone, vocalist Carla Cook, trumpeter Valery Panomarev, Lance Bryant:SHOUT Big Band as well as Saxophonist Chico Freeman. Throughout his performing career he has played at numerous music venues including Dizzy’s Club Cocoa-Cola, The Iridium, The Blue Note, The Zinc Bar, and Carnegie Hall. He still continues to maintain constant performances at various concert halls, clubs, and private and public events.

As an educator he has taught for NJPAC’s TD Jazz for Teens (2015-present) program and NPAC’s Jazz and Poetry program “City Verses” (2020-2022). He has worked as a private instructor teaching drums, piano, trumpet and ukulele at Far Hills Country Day School (2019-2024) and His & Hers Music (2016-Present). His public school experience consists of working as a substitute teacher in the West Orange District (2021-2024), teaching K-5 general music at West Oranges, Hazel Elementary School (Sept. 2024 - Dec. 2024) and 7th grade band at  Upper Montgomery Middle School (Jan. 2025).

With Jarrett’s vast performance experience in various styles of music from Jazz, Rock, Musical Theater, Classical etc. and his years of experience teaching in a variety of educational settings, he offers students at Whitney Houston a diverse and unique performing arts education. Ensuring that all students have the opportunity to experience a wide array of musical styles and offering students a diverse music pedagogy to reach their full potential.