Victor V. Avdienko is a graduate of the Juilliard School where he earned a Master of Music degree. His teachers include Roland Kohloff and Elden Bailey of the New York Philharmonic. Prior to that, he earned his degree with top honors from San Jose State University, studying with Anthony J. Cirone of the San Francisco Symphony.

As a busy percussionist and timpanist, he can be heard performing and recording with orchestras, chamber groups, and opera companies throughout San Francisco. Victor performs with the San Francisco Symphony regularly, and has appeared on several episodes of Keeping Score.

He has performed with such artists as Johnny Mathis, Elvis Costello, Paul Simon, Rosemary Clooney, Mel Torme, Joni Mitchell, Sheryl Crow, Stevie Nicks, Mark Isham, Bernadette Peters, Doc Severensen, and Wynton Marsalis. He has also performed under conductors Kurt Masur, Seiji Ozawa, Leonard Slatkin, Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos, and Michael Tilson Thomas.

Down Beat Magazine had recognized Victor with their Student Music Awards as an outstanding Jazz/Pop/Rock drummer, and he had been the featured drummer with the Cal Alumni Big Band under legendary trumpeter John Coppolla.

Victor is a high demand educator, clinician, and coach by high schools and youth orchestras, including the top rated San Francisco Youth Orchestra. His clinics focus on fundamental and imaginative techniques for percussion. His students have won numerous competitions, and many have gone on to some of the top music schools in the country. Victor is very active in the California Symphony's Music-In-The-Schools program, bringing percussion to children  with his group Supercussion! Please visit www.Supercussion.org. Victor is an endorser of SABIAN cymbals.

He had been Music Director, composer, and percussionist for the California Shakespeare Festival for nine years. As composer and sound designer, he has scored for King Lear, The Taming of the Shrew, The Merchant of Venice, Richard III, Othello, and Henry IV, Part 1, gaining critical acclaim and several awards.

In addition to making music, Victor spends his time as a Fly-fishing Guide and a Certified Fly Casting Instructor. Victor enjoys teaching beginners to fly fish, and he helps experienced casters improve their skills.

Recordings by Victor Avdienko

Starcraft 2 Video Game

Soul Sacrifice Video Game

West Side Story

San Francisco Symphony

Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor

2015 Grammy Nominee

Sound The Bells!

The Bay Brass

2011 Grammy Nominee

Mahler Symphony No. 2

San Francisco Symphony.

Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor.

Mahler Symphony No. 3

San Francisco Symphony.

Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor.

2003 Grammy Winner

Mahler Symphony No. 6

San Francisco Symphony.

Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor.

2002 Grammy Winner

Mahler Symphony No. 7

San Francisco Symphony

Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor.

2007 Grammy Winner 2 Categories

Copland Organ Symphony

San Francisco Symphony

Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor.

Sweeney Todd by Stephen Sondheim. San Francisco Symphony.

Rob Fisher, conductor. DVD and Video.

2002 Emmy Winner

Lou Harrison-A Portrait by the California Symphony.

Barry Jekowsly, conductor.

Corpus Evita by Carlos Franzetti.

The San Francisco Camerata,

Jose Luis Moscovich, conductor.