Dr. Francis is a versatile clinician with over twenty years of teaching experience. Based in Houston, Texas, his extensive knowledge of solo, chamber, orchestral percussion, and jazz drum set education reflect his robust performance career in these areas.
Between 2016-2022, he was Adjunct Professor of Percussion at The College of St. Rose, Hartwick College, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute where he taught percussion and drum set lessons, and directed the Percussion Ensembles. Dr. Francis served as Percussion Lecturer at the University of Texas at San Antonio from 2006 to 2016, where he has also taught Rock and Roll History, Jazz History, and was the founding director of the UTSA Faculty Jazz Combo, which performed with a variety of local and national jazz figures. An equally versatile performer, Dr. Francis’s orchestral work includes dates with the Houston Grand Opera, Glimmerglass Festival, San Antonio Philharmonic, San Antonio Opera, River Oaks Chamber Orchestra, Victoria Bach Festival Orchestra, Austin Symphony Orchestra, Ballet Austin, Mid-Texas Symphony, Corpus Christi Symphony, Prince Edward Island Symphony, Rome Festival Orchestra, Albany Symphony, and Albany Pro Musica, in addition to a multitude of chamber ensembles such as the American Repertory Ensemble, Revel, SOLI Chamber Ensemble, Cactus Pear Music Festival, and Line Upon Line. He has been featured on drum set with such jazz luminaries as Ed Smith, Ray Vega, Scott Robinson, Eric Alexander, Jerry Weldon, Joe Magnarelli, John Fedchock, Chuck Lamb, and Doc Watkins, with whom he performed at Carnegie Hall. Dr. Francis has performed both in Canada and the United States as one half of the Schumann-Francis piano/percussion duo, whose live performances from the Victoria Bach Festival have been broadcast nationally on American Public Media’s Performance Today.
Mr. Francis is also a highly sought after session musician, having recorded a number of records for Austin, TX recording studios including Star Seven Media, Congress House Studio, Church House Studio, Infinity Studios, 12th Street Sound, and Blue Rock Studios, in addition to major recordings for the Gasparo, Parma, Navona, and Naxos labels. His latest release, the debut recording with the Hartwick Jazz Trio (featuring Evan Jagels and John Colonna) is available on all platforms, as is his record with the Doc Watkins Trio, Swingin’ From San Antonio.
Dr. Francis worked with the Austin Chamber Music Center (ACMC) faculty from 2006 to 2018, coaching chamber groups and percussion classes at ACMC’s annual summer Chamber Music Workshop as well as performing during their concert season and summer Chamber Music Festival. He has also worked as the Music Director and percussionist for The American Repertory Ensemble (ARE). Over a dozen of his solo performances with ARE and ACMC have been nominated for Outstanding Solo Instrumental and Chamber Music Performance by the Austin Critics’ Table. Graeme Francis grew up on Prince Edward Island, Canada, received an Undergraduate degree in Honors Music Education from Western University in London, Ontario, a Masters in Percussion Performance at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, and his Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Texas at Austin. His teachers include Jill Ball, Thomas Burritt, Doug Howard, Kalman Cherry, Ed Smith, Tony Edwards, Brannen Temple, Daniel Glass, and Carl Allen.
Dr. Francis proudly endorses Vic Firth sticks and mallets, Zildjian Cymbals, Yamaha Percussion instruments, and Remo Drumheads.