Brian Rice received his B.M. in percussion and ethnomusicology from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and is an acclaimed performer, educator, and recording artist adept at numerous musical styles. He is known as one of the “go to” players of the Brazilian pandeiro. His study of the pandeiro began in 1986 when percussionist/composer Carlos Stasi gave him a quick pandeiro lesson. Since then, Brian's obsession with the pandeiro led him to study with Luis Guello, Marcos Suzano, Airto, Claudio Bueno, and Clarice Magalhaes. His prowess on the instrument  led him to perform with numerous Brazilian artists including, Jovino Santos Neto, Paulo Sergio Santos, Danilo Brito, Dudu Maia, Alessandro Penezzi, and Jorge Alabe. It was his studies with Marcos Suzano that inspired Brian to expand his use of the pandeiro outside the Brazilian music world and apply it to Balkan, Celtic, Middle Eastern, Spanish, and Cuban music with great effect.