2026 PAS Board of Advisors Announcement
2026 PAS Board of Advisors Announcement
by
January 28, 2026
Congratulations to all of our returning and newly elected members of the prestigious PAS Board of Advisors. The PAS Board of Advisors are elected by their peers to work with the PAS Board of Directors and staff on the overall vision of PAS. They serve incredibly important roles, often acting as ambassadors for PAS by performing and adjudicating at regional events, and assisting with masterclasses, alongside their work in an advisory capacity.
“Our PAS Board of Advisors serve an essential role, connecting the Percussive Arts Society to the larger world of percussion, providing behind the scenes insights, and being an advocate for PAS and the Percussive Arts,” said Joshua Simonds, PAS Executive Director.
Read more below to learn about the 2026 returning, retiring, and newly elected members of the PAS Board of Advisors.
Elected for a Second Term
Two members of the PAS Board of Advisors were elected for a second term: Andrea Venet and Matthew Lau. Both spent their first years supporting PAS in a variety of capacities, including at PASIC50.
Completing their Terms
PAS Board of Advisor members may serve up to two consecutive three-year terms (a maximum of six years). In 2026, we extend our sincere thanks to Maria Finkelmeier, Valerie Naranjo, and Marcus Santos as they complete their service after reaching the full six-year term. We also thank Michael Rosen, Mark Wessels, and Dave Hall, each of whom completed one three-year term, for their valued contributions.
Newly Elected
Julia Gaines-Montag
Dr. Julia Gaines-Montag is the author of the series Sequential Studies for Four-Mallet Marimba. The series published by Tapspace includes three books with twenty lessons each that break down the strokes involved in four-mallet marimba literature. She also has a solo recording, Tiger Dance, that includes recordings of some of the intermediate solos included in these books in addition to other works she has commissioned.
Julia has performed as a soloist throughout the United States and in several countries including Brazil, China, England, and Russia. She has performed in the percussion sections of the Missouri Symphony, the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, the Fox Valley Symphony, the Green Bay Symphony, and the Idaho-Washington Symphony. She has given many clinics at conferences throughout her career as a percussionist including Midwest 2013, 2025 and PASIC 2004, 2008, 2013, and 2019. Her three percussion performance degrees come from the Lawrence Conservatory of Music (BM), the Eastman School of Music (MM) and the University of Oklahoma (DMA and performer’s certificate).
Dr. Gaines-Montag is a long-time member of the Percussive Arts Society and has served in several leadership positions including Secretary of the Executive Committee and Associate Editor of Percussive Notes. She has worked at the University of Missouri for thirty years where she began as the Director of Percussion Studies. She became the Director of the School of Music in 2014 and led the school for nearly a decade. Some highlights from her administrative career include spearheading the School of Music’s Centennial Celebration and serving as the point person for the design, construction, and grand opening of the 47,000 square feet Sinquefield Music Center.
Arthur Lipner
As a bandleader, guest soloist and educator, Arthur has been to over 30 countries including Ghana, Iceland, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Costa Rica, England, Scotland, Iceland, Morocco, Malaysia, and the Caribbean. He has toured overseas 80 times, including 26 trips to Latin America with 18 in Brazil. In 2019 he made first-time tours to China and Russia. October 2024 was his 39th tour to Europe. Arthur has performed with the National Symphony of Brazil, Tuvan Throat Singers, The National Dance Company of Ghana, in Rio de Janeiro’s carnival, Chiapas Mexico’s “Marimba Park”, at The Royal Palace in Marrakesh, and played an ice xylophone he constructed in Norwegian mountains.
Lipner has presented over 300 workshops on six continents, including Juilliard School, Yale University, London’s Royal College, Asean Jazz Festival (Malaysia), Swedish Academy of Music, Japan Percussion Society, Sweelink (Amsterdam), Conservatoire Superieur Paris, Swedish Academy of Music (Stockholm), and Sydney Conservatorium. Over 100 of Arthur’s compositions have been released on recordings, some licensed for radio/film/tv soundtracks around the world.
The story of Lipner’s inner and outer journeys are featured in the documentary Talking Sticks, which premiered at NYC’s Symphony Space (2016). The Wilmington Int’l Film Festival said, “Beautiful music, scenery, stories and insights. A film for the music aficionado, traveler and memoir lover.”
He has presented at Days Of Percussion in almost half of the United States. Percussive Notes has seen Arthur as a contributing author, editor and author of eight articles. Arthur has a passion for PAS, a deep concern for the PAS community, and pride in being associated with the organization.
Frédéric Macarez
Frédéric Macarez is a leading figure in the world of percussion, celebrated for his contributions to the advancement of the percussive arts and his exceptional artistry.
Formerly the Principal Percussionist of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande and Principal Timpanist of the Orchestre de Paris for over two decades, he has collaborated with legendary conductors such as Daniel Barenboim, Pierre Boulez, Gustavo Dudamel, Valery Gergiev, and Esa-Pekka Salonen, among others, amassing a wealth of orchestral expertise.
As a soloist and chamber musician, Macarez performs internationally, showcasing his talent in recitals, concertos, and chamber music alongside renowned artists like Martha Argerich and Christoph Eschenbach. He is also the founder of the Paris-Percu ensemble and directed the acclaimed international percussion festival “perKumania” for nearly 20 years.
In education, Macarez serves as the Director of Percussion Studies at the Conservatoire Régional de Paris and PSPBB, where he established Europe’s largest percussion department in 2024. A sought-after clinician, he mentors students worldwide and frequently judges prestigious international competitions.
As a composer and editor, his works, published by A. Leduc, Alfonce Production, and Gérard Billaudot, are performed globally by both students and professionals, cementing his influence on the next generation of percussionists.
Oliver Molina
Dr. Oliver Molina is the Associate Professor of Percussion at Northwestern State University of Louisiana. With extensive experience teaching at both secondary and collegiate levels, he is active as a clinician, educator, and performer. Within PAS, Oliver is nearing the end of his two terms as chair of the Education Committee. During his tenure, he started the PAS Classroom weekly video series and collaborated with other committees to develop the PASIC Training Sessions. Oliver has also served in various roles within the PAS Louisiana Chapter. With Northwestern State, his ensembles have won the collegiate concert chamber competition, and they were a featured ensemble for the New Literature Showcase Concert. Oliver has presented and performed at various state Day of Percussion events, PASIC, NCPP, Midwest, and other music conferences and festivals.
Eric Willie
Eric has presented solo performances throughout the United States, Russia, Brasil, and Colombia. In the United States, Eric has performed or conducted at multiple Percussive Arts Society’s International Conventions (PASIC), Midwest Clinics, state days of percussion, and music educator conventions.
A Fulbright Scholar, Eric studied and performed throughout northeastern Brasil. During this time, Eric was a Regency Professor at the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE) and held the role as Artistic Director of the LapTop Percussion Ensemble.
He has served on staff with the Cavaliers, as a Percussion Consultant with Phantom Regiment, and instructor and/or arranger for the Spirit, Carolina Crown, and Madison Scouts drum and bugle corps. Additionally, he has served as a consultant for the Catawba Ridge High School Percussion Ensemble (2024 WGI Percussion Scholastic Concert World Champions), Music City Mystique, University of North Texas Drum Line, and as Faculty for the Music for All World Percussion Symposium, among others.
His solos and books have been published by Musicon Publications, Ox and Lamb, TapSpace, and Row-Loff. His co-authored book, All-Inclusive Audition Etudes, has been adopted for use by various state music educators’ associations, and he recently contributed a chapter to Rehearsing the Concert and Marching Percussion Ensemble by Meredith Music (compiled by James Campbell).
Currently, Eric is Professor of Percussion Studies at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where his percussion ensembles have been named winners of the 2015 and 2021 PAS International Percussion Ensemble Competition (IPEC).
