BIO

Adrian Christen grew up close to the Swiss Alps near the city of Thun, Switzerland.
He started out playing marching drums at the age of 9 and became familiar with all the Swiss rudiments, playing in various drumline groups and marching bands. Classically trained on snare, timpani, marimba and having played in classical ensembles for many years, he began focussing on drumset.
He studied jazz with Billie Brooks at the Swiss Jazz School in Bern where he also received a minor degree in arranging and composition.
Being a student of Ian Froman, Kim Plainfield, Peter Retzlaff and Jim Chapin at the Drummer’s Collective in NYC, Adrian continued his musical studies in various styles.
Back in Switzerland, he became a student of pioneer percussionist Adrian Coburg in Bern and, as a consequence, expanded his knowledge about hand percussion instruments such as batas, congas and cajón.
Adrian has been playing different styles of music with various bands and artists, such as bigband music with German Swing Legends Max Greger, Hugo Strasser and Ambros Seelos; Latin Nights as a percussionist of the Swiss Jazz Orchestra; the blues with multi-awarded singer and piano player Doug Duffey from Monroe, Louisiana; electronic dance music with Swiss-Brazilian group Dacruz; klezmer with Fogosch quintet; flamenco with Nick Perrin Flamenco Jazz Quartett; latin with afrocuban group Havana del Alma | pop and hiphop with Swiss singer Andra Borlo featuring Kutti MC and Bryon Bain from NYC.
Besides his work on stage and in studios, Adrian is a passionate teacher who loves to pass on his musical knowledge to the next generation. He shares a position as a managing director at a regional music school in Switzerland and thus helps providing a flourishing environment for young talents.