Francis Peña

Drummer

Francis Peña is a drummer and percussionist from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Throughout
his career he has worked with artists such as Pedro Capó, Jesús Molina, Jesse & Joy, Ivy Queen,
Johnny Ventura, Nestor Torres, Yasser Tejeda and many others.

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Francis Peña

Drummer

Francis Peña is a drummer and percussionist from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Throughout
his career he has worked with artists such as Pedro Capó, Jesús Molina, Jesse & Joy, Ivy Queen,
Johnny Ventura, Nestor Torres, Yasser Tejeda and many others.

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About

He began playing at the age of 2. At just 3 years old, in June 1998, he performed with the Orquesta
Sinfónica Juvenil Juan Pablo Duarte at the Conservatorio Nacional de Música. Around this time, he
also began taking music classes, developing the ability to read and understand basic musical
phrases.
At the age of 4, Francis performed in his first musical theater production, La Pinky Hood & La Flecha
Mágica, by the late Dominican actress Nuryn Sanlley, at the Teatro Nacional de Santo Domingo. The
show won the “Best Children’s Show of the Year” award at the Premios Casandra (National Awards).
By the time he was 5, Francis had the opportunity to perform with the legendary Johnny Ventura,
the artist credited with bringing merengue to a global audience. He began his formal musical
education at Escuela Elemental Elila Mena, later transferring to the Conservatorio Nacional de
Música to study Classical Percussion. During his time at the conservatory, Francis continued to
perform with numerous national and international bands and orchestras as an independent
drummer and percussionist.
In December 2017, Francis was awarded a scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston,
Massachusetts, sponsored by renowned pianist Michel Camilo. He began pursuing a major in
Performance in the Fall of 2018.
In 2021, Francis was invited to be the drummer for the first season of The Voice Dominican Republic,
but he had to leave mid-season to return to the United States and complete his studies at Berklee in
person.
After graduating from Berklee in 2022, Francis remained in Massachusetts, where he continues to
showcase his versatile drumming skills across a range of genres, performing and recording for
various projects.

"I’ve relied on sE microphones for years, both in the studio and in live performances, and they’ve consistently delivered. The sound is crystal clear, and the build quality of the V Beat microphones truly blew me away. They’re incredibly versatile and perform beautifully in any musical environment. And if you’re putting together your first recording setup, the V PACK CLUB bundle is hands down the best mic package you can get for your kit."

— Francis Peña - Drummer