Biography

Lalo Davila is currently Professor of Music and Director of Percussion Studies at Middle Tennessee State University. Lalo received his Bachelor of Music degree from Texas A & M Corpus Christi and a Master of Music degree from the University of North Texas.

   Lalo has extensive experience both as an educator, composer, author, and performer. Lalo was named Nashville’s Top Five 1998 Percussionist of the Year Award and “Nashville Scene’s” 2012 “Best Latin Jazz Musician”. Lalo has toured with many artists including the "Take 6" Summer 1996 tour of Japan. Other performances include; the Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra, the Nashville Symphony, the Nashville Jazz Orchestra, the Nashville Chamber Orchestra, the Nashville Chamber Chorus, the Nashville Ballet, Six Pence and None The Richer, Clay Walker, Allen Vizzutti, and Arturo Sandoval to name a few. Mr. Davila can also be heard on Kirk Whalum's Grammy-nominated CD “Hymns In The Garden”. Most recently, Lalo’s voice and playing can be heard (as Jafar) in Disney’s Dual Language Series “Aladdin”, “So You Think You Can Dance”, The movies “People Like Us”, “The Amazing Burt Wonderstone”, “McFarland USA”, and “The Equalizer”, EA SPORTS' recent release, NCAA College Football 25, The 2012 PlayStation Game "Thieves in Time", "Star Wars", "America's Funniest 2010 Commercials".  Lalo has also composed music for: “Drop Dead Diva”, “Breaking Bad”, “Graceland”, and “Burn Notice”.

Known as an outstanding clinician and adjudicator, Lalo has conducted clinics/performances throughout the United States, Australia, Paris, Poland,
Mexico, Sweden, Cuba, and Japan. Lalo is the author of “Contemporary Rudimental Studies and Solos”, and “Play at First
Sight”, “Timptastic”, “Uncommon Duos”, ​" Bugadafish", and “Jingle Jamz”. Lalo is an active clinician/performer for the Pearl Corporation, Row-Loff Productions, Avedis Zildjian Co., Innovative Percussion, Grover Pro Percussion, and EVANS Drumheads.