Orphic means “beyond ordinary.”  The quartet, formed in 2017, is gaining rapid notoriety throughout the West Coast for their extremely engaging performances and musical expression.  The members share a love of new music as evidenced by two new commissions within the first month of the group's existence, including a work for marimba quartet and electronics, and a piece by the renowned composer James Wood.  To date, Orphic members have been involved in over 10 new works for percussion quartet with several more already in the works.

The member’s backgrounds include a university professor, international marimba performers, and the former center snare for the Concord Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps.  The group also seeks to educate young musicians on the joys of percussion performance and the need for a balanced percussion education.

Orphic is proud to be a Marimba One Ensemble Artist and plays exclusively on Marimba One Marimbas and the new One Vibe.

Sean Clark

American percussionist and educator, Sean Clark is known for his versatile skills in concert and marching percussion. A high-energy soloist and chamber musician, Sean has given clinics and performed across the United States and internationally. Whether it be teaching or playing, Mr. Clark aims to bridge the gap between classical and commercial music; making classical music more accessible to today’s contemporary audiences.

A Marimba One Ensemble artist, Sean co-founded a Central Valley percussion quartet “Orphic”, and won multiple performance categories (duos, timpani, snare) of the 2017 and 2018 Percussive Arts Society (PAS) Northern California competition. He has performed professionally with numerous groups including the Fresno Community Chorus, Sequoia Symphony, and Orpheus New Music Ensemble. Last winter, Sean was involved in a clinic at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) with the prestigious Blue Devil Drum & Bugle Corps. As a soloist, he has been featured with the Orphic Percussion Quartet, the Fresno State Percussion Ensemble and the Fresno State Wind Orchestra performing works such as Gene Koshinski’s Circuit Breaker, Michael Laurello’s Spine, Aurel Hollo’s José / beFore John 5, and Jennifer Higdon’s Percussion Concerto.

Outside of his concertizing, Mr. Clark is an up-and-coming marching percussion educator, arranger, designer, adjudicator, and clinician. In his six years with the Blue Devil Performing Arts organization, Sean won three DCI world championships (2014, 2015, 2017), one open class drum title (2012), and the Fred Sanford High Percussion Award (2015). More recently, he received the Blue Devil of the Year award and was hired as the percussion caption head for the Blue Devils “B” Drum & Bugle Corps (2018). Mr. Clark began arranging and designing marching band shows in 2015. Since then, he has had the privilege to arrange and collaborate with Saratoga High School, California High School, Buchanan High School, and Clovis West High School. Additionally, Mr. Clark has given multiple clinics throughout California and adjudicated at local marching art events.

Sean graduated summa cum laude from CSU Fresno in 2018, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts with a focus in Instrumental Music Education. This upcoming year, he will begin his graduate degree at National University. Sean was born and raised in Clovis, California and recently moved to Northern California to accept a Director of Percussion job at Saratoga High School.

Michael Downing is section percussionist with the Sacramento Philharmonic and the Stockton Symphony, as well as the founder of the Orphic Percussion Quartet. He is the Professor of Percussion at CSU Stanislaus and holds Master of Arts and Bachelor of Arts degrees from Fresno State. An active freelance musician, he has performed with the San Francisco Symphony and virtually every orchestra in Central California. He has been the pit percussionist many musicals including the broadway tour of Wicked. Michael also enjoys teaching private lessons and giving clinics for local schools, as well as being an active member of the California Chapter of PAS.

​Michael has been featured as a soloist with both the Phoenix Symphony and the Stockton Symphony performing "Uzu and Muzu from Kakaruzu". The double percussion concerto written by Avner Dorman, was premiered by Michael and fellow percussionist Graham Thompson in 2012. He has also been a soloist with several other orchestras performing the third movement of Eric Ewazen's Concerto for Marimba and String Orchestra, and has been featured as the vibraphone soloist for John William's Escapades.

​Michael studied primarily with Jim Babor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Dr. Matthew Darling of Fresno State. While preparing for orchestral auditions, he has taken lessons with such notable percussionists as Jacob Nissly, Tom Freer, Richard Weiner, Trey Wyatt, Michael Rosen, and Rick Kvistad. Michael is an Orchestral Artist for Zildjian, an Education Artist for Marimba One, a Freer Percussion Artist, and part of the Blackswamp Percussion Educator Network.

Stuart Langsam is a multi-faceted percussionist and music educator from Southern California. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance from San Jose State University, a Master of Music Degree from Oklahoma State University, and is currently studying towards the Doctorate of Musical Arts Degree at the University of Oklahoma.

Mr. Langsam was a member of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic for eight seasons performing Classics, Pops, Ballet, and Youth concerts. While in living in the Midwest he also performed with the Kansas City Symphony, Tulsa Symphony, and Ft. Smith Symphony. Upon returning back to the Bay area he has had the opportunity play with a number of ensembles including the Santa Cruz Symphony, Stockton Symphony, Berkeley Symphony, Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera, and Symphony Silicon Valley.

Mr. Langsam has also enjoyed playing and subbing for a variety of musical theaters including the world premiere of Ain’t too Proud-The Life and Times of The Temptations. His summers have included performances at the Mendocino Music Festival and the Carmel Bach Festival.

An avid instructor in the marching percussion activity, he has composed and arranged music for both high schools and universities in California and Oklahoma. In 2011, he presented a marching percussion exhibition at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention with the Oklahoma State University Drumline.

He has also presented clinics at the Oklahoma Music Educators Association and the PAS Oklahoma Day of Percussion. Mr. Langsam has been an Adjunct Professor of Percussion at Oklahoma State University and the University of Tulsa. He currently works with the SJSU Spartan Marching Band, Wilcox High School, and teaches privately at the Mid-Peninsula Music Academy and the Rhythm Academy of San Jose.

Mr. Langsam has partaken in Percussion Seminars at the Music Academy of the West and the Zivkovic International Marimba Festival. In 2005, he participated at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention in both the Collegiate Rudimental Snare Competition (3rd place) and as a finalist in the Orchestral Mock Audition.

Mr. Langsam is a proud endorser of Innovative Percussion Sticks and Mallets.

Divesh Karamchandani is a San Francisco-based percussionist performing in chamber music and large ensemble projects throughout the Bay Area. He is the Principal Percussionist of One Found Sound, Prism Percussion's co-founder, and Orphic Percussion's newest member. Karamchandani's other notable engagements include the San Francisco Symphony, New Century Chamber Orchestra, San Francisco Contemporary Music Players, San Jose Chamber Orchestra, Berkeley Symphony, Stockton Symphony, Opera San Jose, and Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera, among other ensembles. Karamchandani advocates contemporary music and seeks to champion new works, especially by underrepresented composers. His firm belief in a more equitable and diverse artistic community has led to commissioning, premiering, and recording new compositions through his solo ventures and partnership with Prism Percussion.

With his recent appointment as the Coordinator of Percussion at San Jose State University (San Jose, CA), Karamchandani is aiding in the technical and musical development of aspiring percussionists. His first-hand experience as a freelance musician is the impetus for his rigorous curriculum aimed at preparing students for successful auditions, competitions, and performances. Karamchandani is also a Teaching Artist with the San Francisco Symphony's Music and Mentors program, providing weekly group lessons to music students in San Francisco public schools. As a Teaching Artist, Karamchandani has taught orchestral percussion, marching percussion, and concert percussion ensembles. In addition to his academic commitments, Karamchandani offers private lessons to students ranging in age and skill levels, several of whom have excelled in music competitions and auditions. Karamchandani is honored to be acknowledged as a Marimba One Educational Artist and proudly endorses Marimba One instruments.

Karamchandani graduated summa cum laude in 2012 from California State University, Stanislaus, with a Bachelor of Music in Percussion Performance and Instrumental Music Education. In May 2014, he graduated from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music with a Master of Music in Percussion Performance. He studied under the tutelage of Jack Van Geem, Jacob Nissly, James Lee Wyatt III, Chris Woodham, and Allen Brown.