MACKENNA TOLFA
ABOUT
BEHIND THE MUSIC
Mackenna Tolfa is an internationally acclaimed percussionist and composer, whose dynamic career has taken her to over 20 countries and some of the world’s most prestigious stages. She most recently headlined with Blue Man Group at the iconic London Palladium Theatre as part of their new World Tour, where she became the first female drummer featured in the show’s history. Currently, Mackenna is the drum set player for the Mean Girls National Tour 2024, further showcasing her versatility and artistry.
Hailing from Green Bay, Wisconsin, Mackenna is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Music under the mentorship of Fernando Meza. Her early career is marked by performances with several notable professional festivals and organizations. In 2019, she performed as an artist at the UNED VI Festival Internacional de Percusión in San José, Costa Rica, and in 2021, she was featured as a "Rising Star" at Theo Milkov's Virtual Marimba Festival.
In addition to her performance accomplishments, Mackenna is a celebrated composer whose works are published through C. Alan Publications. Her 2019 piece, La Fortuna, premiered at the Sala Maria Clara Cullell Theater in Costa Rica before its publication in 2020. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she collaborated with the University of Costa Rica and UNED Percussion Ensemble to create Cherry Limeade, a project that expanded into a cross-disciplinary performance with Danza U dance studio at the University of Costa Rica. Her most recent composition, Los Picantes, premiered at the Aula Magna Theater in Costa Rica and has been performed in collaboration with the University of Minnesota.
Mackenna takes pride in her role as a collaborator and innovator, contributing to international projects that merge performance and composition across cultural boundaries. Her dedication to her craft, coupled with her groundbreaking achievements, makes her a dynamic force in today’s global music scene.
BLUE MAN GROUP
"The Musician"
In early October 2021, Mackenna Tolfa was hired to premiere a new character on the Blue Man Group World Tour titled The Musician. Over the past three years, she has toured extensively, performing in over 12 countries, including Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Germany, France, the U.K., Austria, Switzerland, Finland, Denmark, Mexico City, and the Netherlands. As the first featured female drummer in Blue Man Group's history, Mackenna has captivated audiences worldwide while breaking new ground in live performance.
See blueman.jp for details
Photo by: Nobuhiko Hikiji
Images Below by: Martin Girard
"I know you know" Project
Solo project covering Esperanza Spalding's " I know you know". This was my first go at playing the bass! Excited to keep learning.
Blue Man Group WT 2023
PVC practice with co-"musician", Kaylie Brooke during the 2023 Blue Man Group World Tour Leg. This years locations include The Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Denmark and Finland
UNED Percusion Festival
The 2023 UNED Percusion Festival Internacional took place in Costa Rica, featuring several internationally renown artists including Theodor Milkov, Chiapas Percussion Ensemble, Gdansk Percussion Ensemble and Fernando Meza
THEO MILKOV 2021 VIRTUAL MARIMBA FESTIVAL
Rising Stars Concert
In the Spring of 2021, Mackenna Tolfa and Calvin Stromwall performed "Étude Op. 10, No. 12," and "Fantaisie-Impromptu, in C# Minor," by Frédéric Chopin.
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LA FORTUNA
C. Alan Publications
La Fortuna was Premiered in 2019 at the Sala Maria Clara Cullel Theater. With its title inspired by a famous waterfall in Costa Rica, "La Fortuna" is a marimba and piano duet that celebrates the power of music and its ability to unite people from all different parts of the world, despite their cultural differences.. In 2020 it was published by C. Alan Publications.
UNED VI FESTIVAL 2019
San Jose, Costa Rica
Mackenna Tolfa, Daniel Quesada, Estefa Segura and Jacob Peroutka performing at the UNED VI Festival Internacional de Percusion in San Jose Costa Rica
CHERRY LIMEADE
International Collaborative Project
"The Virtual Percussion Extravaganza is a collaborative project between the percussion studios at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, the University of Costa Rica, the UNED Percussion Ensemble and Yilmer Vivas. This collaboration solidifies that music is a language that has no barriers and can defy all odds. The third section of this piece is a new piece I've written called "Cherry Limeade" meant to evoke the nostalgic moments of our past, in an effort to drive us forward! I hope you all enjoy! Sending hugs and good health!"
CHERRY LIMEADE DANZA U COLLABORATION
Dance and Music come to Life
"Fernando Meza's Percussion Studio partnered with percussionists and dancers from Universidad de Costa Rica, and the Ensamble de Percusión Costa Rica - UNED to create the stunning "Extravagancias Cotidianas." The video is set to the piece "Cherry Limeade," composed by #UMNMusic student Mackenna Tolfa! Take a moment and enjoy this incredible international artistic collaboration. College of Liberal Arts | University of Minnesota | University of Minnesota"- University of Minnesota School of Music
MACKENNA TOLFA AND CALVIN STROMWALL- MALLET RECITAL 2021
Watch Mackenna Tolfa and Calvin Stromwall Mallet Recital from 2021 featuring:
Frédéric Chopin Étude Op. 10, No. 12 (1831) (1810-1849) for marimba duo, Keiko Abe Michi (1978) (b. 1937) for solo marimba, Emmanuel Séjourné Losa (1999) (b. 1961) for percussion trio and bass guitar Daniel Quesada, vibraphone and percussion Jose Esteban Esquivel, bass guitar George Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue (1924) (1898-1937) for solo marimba arr. Adélaïde Ferrière, Julie Spencer White Squirrel (1993) (b. 1962) for solo marimba, Frédéric Chopin Fantasie-Impromptu in C♯ minor, Op. 66 (1834) (1810-1849) for marimba duo
INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION
LOSA-EMMANUEL SEJOURNE
During fall of 2020, Mackenna did a collaboration with Daniel Quesada and Jose Esteban Esquivel of the University of Costa Rica to perform their version of Emmanuel Sejourne's- Losa. The project was recorded in two separate countries-United States and Costa Rica.