Erik Barsness grew up in the Twin Cities, in Minnesota and started playing percussion when he was 11. He received his Bachelors Degree in percussion performance from the University of Minnesota in 2001 where his teacher was Fernando Meza.

>From August 2002 until June 2005 Erik lived in Stockholm, Sweden studying at the Royal College of Music in Sweden. He graduated with his Masters Degree in percussion from the Royal College of Music and received a Fulbright Scholarship in 2002 for these studies. His main teachers in Sweden were Anders Loguin of the percussion ensembles Kroumata and Glorious Percussion, Daniel Kåse, principal percussionist with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic and Roland Johansson, former principal timpanist with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic.

Erik has performed throughout the United States, Europe and Russia as a soloist and as a member of various ensembles. European countries he has performed in included Sweden, Finland, Åland, Estonia, Latvia and Germany. In the United States, he has performed at several Festivals Dancing in Your Head at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, the Eye and Ear Festival at the Franconia Sculpture Park, the Walleye Art Gallery in Chicago, IL, and Sprauge Hall at Yale University.

Erik is co-director and percussionist with Ensemble 61, a Saint Paul-based contemporary music group and performs frequently with the Minnesota Percussion Trio and CRASH. He has been a guest percussionist with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and has performed with the contemporary music ensemble Zeitgeist, Nautilus Music Theater, and Ten Thousand Things Theater.

Erik has received several awards from the American Composers Forum, the Jerome Foundation and was a Fulbright Scholar.  Erik is currently adjunct professor of percussion at Saint Cloud State University and maintains an active private studio in the Twin Cities. Please visit him at www.Erik-Barsness.com