Zubin Hathi

A native of Roanoke, Virginia, Zubin Hathi was appointed Principal Timpani of The Cleveland Orchestra in May 2025. Prior to this, he held the same position with the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra and San Francisco Ballet Orchestra, respectively. Zubin has participated in a number of festivals, including as Principal Timpani with the National Repertory Orchestra and as fellowship recipient in the Pacific Music Festival, National Orchestral Institute, and New York String Orchestra Seminar. He has also attended the Aspen Music Festival and School, and participated in the Sun Valley Music Festival, St. Barts Music Festival, and ChamberFest Cleveland. Additionally, Hathi has performed with the orchestras of San Francisco, Detroit, Buffalo, Rochester, Columbus, and India, among others. 
 
Hathi holds a bachelor’s degree from the Curtis Institute of Music, where he studied with Don Liuzzi, Robert van Sice, and Eric Millstein. During his time at Curtis, he consistently made the Dean’s List in recognition of academic excellence. He completed his master’s degree and additional post-graduate studies at the Cleveland Institute of Music under the tutelage of Marc Damoulakis and Paul Yancich. 
 
Hathi is a proud endorser of Evans Drumheads and Freer Percussion Products. He has recorded with The Cleveland Orchestra and can also be heard on recordings distributed by the Orchid Classics, Naxos, and Cedille labels.