Olaf Szester

Olaf Szester is a Toronto based percussionist/drummer and composer. Olaf graduated with an Honours Bachelor of Music from Wilfrid Laurier University in 2006 where he specialized in Orchestral Performance and Composition. In addition, he had the opportunity to perform across Holland while studying percussion at the Royal Conservatory in Den Haag (Koninklijk Conservatorium), which is renowned for its focus on New Music. He graduated from Koninklijk Conservatorium with a second Bachelor Degree in Percussion in 2008, where he studied with Luuk Nagtegaal, Hans Zonderop, Fedor Teunisse, Ali N’Diaye Rose, Wim Vos, and Stefan Kruger.
In Canada, Olaf has had the pleasure of studying percussion with Trichy Sankaran, Dave Campion and Gary Tomlin. In the field of composition he has studied with Michael Coghlan, Richard Windeyer, Peter Hatch, Glenn Buhr, and Linda Catlin Smith.
Olaf currently focuses his energies on freelancing, teaching and exploring a variety of diverse projects.