Dr. Megan Arns is a percussionist, ethnomusicologist, and educator with a diverse set of skills and a driven passion for her craft. She is an Associate Professor and has served as Director of Percussion Studies at the University of Missouri-Columbia since 2014 and is a recent recipient of the Chancellor’s Award for Outstanding Research and Creative Activity. Before coming to Mizzou, Megan held faculty positions at Mansfield University and at the National Music Conservatory in Amman, Jordan, where she was also principal percussionist and timpanist of the Amman Symphony Orchestra. During the summers, she is a section member of the New Hampshire Music Festival and regularly performs as a substitute with the St. Louis Symphony.

Megan is an advocate for the creation of new music, co-commissioning and premiering over 100 works both as a soloist and as a member of two contemporary chamber groups: the [Switch~ Ensemble] – an electroacoustic ensemble based out of New York City, and DRAX – a saxophone and percussion duo in residence at Mizzou. DRAX’s debut CD chaos+contemplation was released on Ravello Records in 2022 and features four commissions of electroacoustic works. Her current solo project features five new commissions in collaboration with the Kinds of Kings Composer Collective. Megan has performed on four continents at venues such as the Kennedy Center, Millennium Park, Smithsonian Institution, and the Percussive Arts Society International Convention.

Megan received her D.M.A. in Percussion Performance & Literature and M.A. in Ethnomusicology at the Eastman School of Music, M.M. in Percussion Performance and Certificate in World Music from Florida State University, and B.M in Percussion Performance at Truman State University where she was recognized as a Presser Scholar. She currently serves on the Board of Directors and as 2nd Vice President on the Executive Committee of the Percussive Arts Society. Megan endorses Vic Firth Sticks & Mallets, Pearl/Adams Musical Instruments, Black Swamp Percussion, Remo Drumheads, and Zildjian Cymbals.