Miles Damaso is a percussionist, music educator, composer, and arranger based out of Nashville, Tennessee. His versatility as a musician allows him to play in a large variety of settings as a drum set player, jazz vibraphonist, classical percussionist, and marching percussionist. 

As a bandleader, he has performed at many reputable venues including City Winery Nashville and Rudy’s Jazz Room. He also frequently performs as a sideman with groups throughout the south and midwest playing a wide variety of music, including rock, country, blues, jazz, Brazilian, Afro-Cuban, and musical theater. 

He has performed at world-renowned venues such as the Grand Ole Opry and the Lincoln Center, and alongside great musicians including Clayton Anderson, Joel Frahm, Emmet Cohen, Yasushi Nakamura, Heather French Henry (Miss America 2000), Pat Coil, Charlie Ballantine, John Raymond, Greg Ward, Frank Glover, Mark Buselli, and Kevin Burt.

Passionate about sharing the gift of music with people, Miles has been teaching private lessons since 2017 (and since 2021 with fp Music Academy) and currently has students across the United States. He is also an active clinician and guest artist working with music programs in Iowa, Indiana, and Tennessee.

Miles is privileged to have won numerous awards, including the NYJE Composition Contest twice, which aims to promote the creation of new, fun, and educational jazz big band music. Miles has also been given the Austin B. Caswell Award, given annually to the best undergraduate music history project at Indiana University, as well as the Outstanding Instrumentalist Award at Kirkwood Community College.