Teaching Artist Statement
As a teaching artist, I prioritize understanding each student’s unique pace, personality, and learning style. My approach centers on curiosity-driven discovery, encouraging students to think, listen, and create with intention. I hold high but supportive expectations and aim to nurture confidence, musical independence, and authentic self-expression. I believe the arts play a vital role in education by cultivating imagination, discipline, and empathy—qualities that enrich students far beyond their time in the studio.
Teaching Bio
Two things shape Antonio Cerfeda's approach to teaching: his Italian upbringing and real-world performance experience. Born in Salento, at the southeastern tip of Italy, Antonio grew up at the meeting place of multiple cultures. The traditional music of his homeland naturally blends with Greek, Middle Eastern, and geographically close African rhythmic influences. This unique background, paired with an expansive career as a professional jazz, pop, and rock drummer has brought him around the world and given a broad, global perspective to his teaching insights and methods. While placing a high level of importance on technical skill, Antonio's most important lessons bring attention to the moment-to-moment experience of playing music with others, giving students an advanced sense of collaboration, adaptability, confidence, and dynamic musicianship. Antonio earned his bachelor’s degree from Siena Jazz University and his Master of Music in Jazz Studies at The City University of New York. Antonio specializes in jazz, classical percussion, rhythm studies, improvisation, and interdisciplinary approaches connecting music with world traditions. He has trained with renowned artists such as Joe Farnsworth, Dave Weckl, Horacio “El Negro” Hernández, Gregory Hutchinson, Fred Hersch, and Steve Wilson, and has taught students across Italy and the United States, many of whom have gone on to conservatories and university music programs. He joined the South Shore Conservatory faculty in 2025
Performance Bio
Italian-born drummer Antonio Cerfeda performs internationally and has appeared at major venues including Jazz at Lincoln Center, Dizzy's, Smalls Jazz Club, Minton’s Playhouse, Umbria Jazz Festival, and Siena Jazz with renowned artists Avishai Cohen, Seamus Blake, Logan Richardson, Joe Sanders, Gilad Hekselman, Kevin Hays, Fred Hersch, and Steve Wilson. He was the recipient of The DownBeat Student Award for Small Jazz Combo Performance in 2024, and the Berklee College of Music Outstanding
Musicianship Award in 2017. While living in Italy, he also toured regularly with World Music group, Zimbaria. Antonio works regularly in the studio as a session drummer for international pop and rock artists, and his most notable recording credit, jazz trio album "Perspectives" featuring legendary bassist John Patitucci, is set for release in May of 2026. He started with South Shore Conservatory in 2025.