Dr. Brant Blackard is an active performer, educator, and composer. As a founder of Frozen Earth Duo with Connor Stevens, he has toured extensively including performances and presentations at the Ontario PAS Day of Percussion and the Leigh Howard Stevens Marimba Seminar. Brant has performed internationally with chamber groups such as the Alla Balena Ensemble and the Zohn Collective. 

His original compositions for percussion have been performed at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention and have been given recent premieres at Oklahoma University and the Eastman School of Music. His recent work, Obliterate for drumset and percussion quartet, was the Grand Prize Winner of the 2024 Percussive Arts Society Composition Contest. A concert entirely of his percussion works was held in 2025 at the University of Nebraska - Omaha. His compositions are published through Wildight Publications, MPI, and Blue Aster. Brant has also retained his love of metal drumming and continues to play regularly. He currently serves on the PAS Composition Committee. 

Brant Blackard received his DMA and MM Degrees from the Eastman School of Music along with the prestigious Performer’s Certificate and Milton Schlesinger Prize, and received his Bachelor’s Degree in Percussion Performance and Literature from the University of Central Arkansas.

He is currently the Assistant Professor of Percussion at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith and has previously served on faculties at Jacksonville State University and Virginia Tech University.

Brant is an endorser and performing artist of Malletech instruments and mallets and is a Black Swamp Percussion and Dream Cymbals and Gongs educator.