Nelson Briceño Peraza (1996) is a Costa Rican drummer, percussionist, and teacher based in Switzerland. Deeply rooted in his folk music traditions, he blends these influences with Afro-Latin American rhythms, jazz, and other diasporic musical traditions.
Briceño began his musical journey at age seven under his father’s guidance, later earning a summa cum laude degree in Percussion from the Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica (UNA) in 2021. He holds a Master’s in Jazz Performance from Jazzcampus Basel (FHNW) and currently teaches Drumset Jazz/Pop and Latin Percussion at the Hochschule für Musik Freiburg, Germany.
As an active performer, Briceño moves fluidly between folk, jazz, classical, and contemporary styles. His diverse musical background, combined with extensive touring across Europe; North, Central, and South America, has allowed him to explore and connect with different cultures and traditions. He has collaborated with projects and ensembles including Lele Gorri, ETH Big Band, Kammerorchester Basel, Manfred Junker Organ Trio, Thomas Bauser, among others; and studied with mentors such as Carlomagno Araya, Jeff Ballard, Jorge Rossy, Larry Grenadier, Chris Cheek, Arthur Hnatek and Ruven Ruppik.
Alongside his work as a performer and educator, Briceño is engaged in artistic research exploring the intersections of rhythm, history, and cultural identity. His current work explores the African rhythmic influence in Costa Rican folk music, as well as the historical evolution of the drumset in Costa Rica—research that directly informs and enriches his compositional work.
Nelson Briceño proudly endorses Canopus Drums
Nelson Briceño 