
As a musician and teacher, April specializes in drums, percussion and the Arabic oud. As a hand percussionist, she specializes in the Arabic riqq, darbuka and frame drum, mentored by late riqq legend, Michel Merhej Baklouk. April has toured throughout the Americas, Asia, Middle East, Far East, New Zealand and Europe as a performer and educator. She toured for two years throughout Lebanon with Ziad Rahbani (son of Fairouz, the diva of Lebanon) in his Arabic orchestra and jazz ensemble, and performed in worldwide events with Bassam Saba, Marcel Khalife, and the Absolute Ensemble. Between 2007 and 2012, she worked with inner-city youth teaching Arabic music and percussion, and coordinating other teaching artists in different world musics, via programs such as Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Connect and Musicians For Harmony.