As a professional percussionist, Damion Frigillana enjoys a diverse career as a live performer, recording artist, chamber musician, and soloist. He is a skilled timpanist, concert percussionist, ethnic percussion and drum set player. His high demand comes as a result of his versatility across many genres. Damion has performed with many prestigious groups such as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Long Beach Symphony Orchestra, Long Beach Ballet, Long Beach Choral, South Coast Symphony, Desert Symphony among other local groups. He has performed with numerous artists including Molly Ringwald, Charice Pempengco, Joey Albert as well composers/conductors Gustavo Dudamel, Ennio Morricone, Andrea Morricone, Bear McCreary, David Benoit, and Matt Catingub.
For four years Damion performed on live television with the Crystal Cathedral’s Hour of Power Orchestra’s weekly international broadcast. Other recordings include releases for both film, TV and Radio commercials for major networks and independent and domestic films. Since 2015, Damion has also been the contractor and percussionist for Christ Cathedral (formerly Crystal Cathedral). His various responsibilities include organizing the musicians for their concerts series and major liturgical services.
As a music educator Damion Frigillana brings a diverse background through his extensive education and vast performances across a myriad genre. This unique amalgam provides a rich and multifaceted approach to his teaching, which accounts for his students enriching relationship with their art. He has taught concert percussion, hand percussion and drum set for school jazz ensembles, concert bands, orchestras and choirs. Damion has served as a percussion coach for numerous award-wining Southland orchestras, concert bands and percussion ensembles and his reputation leaves him in high demand. He has presented master classes at California State University Long Beach, Azusa Pacific University, California State Polytechnic University Pomona, Idyllwild Arts Academy and overseas for the University of Santo Tomas, Philippines. Damion has also taught at the Harmony project which is part of the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s youth orchestra program (YOLA at the EXPO Center). His concert percussion students have been accepted to major conservatories and universities including the San Francisco Conservatory, University of California Los Angeles, California State University Long Beach (Bob Cole conservatory), University of California San Diego, and has participated in honor groups such as All-County Honor Band, and All-State Honor Bands and Orchestras.
Damion has combined his keen musical sense with his innate mechanical abilities to create a unique niche. Some of the most esteemed music programs, conservatories and studio percussionists rely on Damion to not only repair but create one of a kind instruments that fulfills both conductors’ and composers unique demands. His training as a percussionist and his back ground in mechanics have left him in a unique position to understand how the mechanics of the instruments work and how to repair and/or rebuild them. He has worked for USC, UCLA, Colbern School, Cal State Fullerton, Cal State Long Beach and many others as well as the Los Angeles Philharmonic and many of the top players in the greater Los Angeles area.
Damion Frigillana is a graduate of California State Polytechnic University Pomona BA, and California State University Long Beach MM. His principal teachers include orchestra percussion with Raynor Carroll, William Kraft, Mitch Peters, Eric Forrester, John Magnussen, studied hand percussion with John Santos, Miguel “Anga” Diaz and has studied drum set with Billy Higgins, Albert "Tootie" Heath, Mike Crotto and Mark Converse.
He is a Remo Education artist, Sabian Band and Orchestra artist, and an Innovative Percussion artist.