Shota Hanai
| Teaching Artist
An experienced percussionist, Shota Hanai has performed with various
orchestras across Southern California, including the Southeast Symphony
Orchestra, the Golden State Pops Orchestra, the American Youth Symphony, the Millennial Choirs & Orchestras, the City Ballet of San Diego Orchestra, the La Jolla Symphony & Chorus, the Filipino American Symphony Orchestra, and the Dream Orchestra of Los Angeles. In addition to coordinating the percussion section of the Intergenerational Orchestra at HOLA, he instructs the marching band pit section at Redondo Union High School.
A native of Torrance, CA, he received a Master’s Degree in Music Performance from San Diego State University, where he studied with Greg Cohen (Principal Percussion, San Diego Symphony). He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Performance from California State University, Long Beach, and an Associate’s Degree in Music from El Camino College. His other teachers include Mark Emerson, Joseph Mitchell, Dave Gerhart, Randy Drake (drum set), Brad Dutz (hand percussion), Kevin O’Sullivan (West African percussion), and Raynor Carroll (former Principal Percussion, Los Angeles Philharmonic). He was one of the three soloists (along with Andrew Kreysa and Danny Chavarin) featured in the SDSU Wind Symphony’s performances of Russell Peck’s The Glory and the Grandeur. He participated in the Idyllwild Summer Arts Festival in 2009 and the Marrowstone Music Festival in 2018.
Mr. Hanai also enjoys conducting, having led the South Bay Youth Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra, the Palos Verdes Regional Symphony Orchestra, and ensembles at El Camino College, CSULB and SDSU. He is a passionate advocate of Austrian composer Gustav Mahler.