Hall of Fame

by Lauren Vogel Weiss During this time of a global pandemic, racial unrest, and economic uncertainty, there is a peaceful serenity from the soothing sounds (the natural harmonic overtone series) of the “Healing Chime,” made by Woodstock Percussion. The man behind those musical chimes is Garry Kvistad, not only a master tuner and instrument builder,…

by Rick Mattingly The PAS Hall of Fame is home to a select group of musicians and visionaries who have dedicated their lives to elevating the art of percussion,” says Peter Erskine. “If for no other reason than that his drumming propelled the music of both Miles Davis and Michael Jackson, Ndugu Chancler deserves our…

by Rick Mattingly It the 1960 Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago, fourteen percussionists and educators met for dinner. They were concerned about the lack of quality percussion education at the time, evidenced by what they were seeing and hearing from the percussion sections of many high school and college ensembles that were performing…

by Rick Mattingly It was always fascinating to watch Layne Redmond’s hands and fingers as they deftly stroked, tapped, slapped, prodded, shook, and massaged sounds out of her tambourine. But aside from her playing, one could also be absorbed by her smile, which reflected a joyous bliss that radiated to the people around her. To…

by Dr. Shane Jones Valerie Naranjo’s performance career is one many percussionists would dream of having. She plays percussion for NBC’s Saturday Night Live band and performs on Broadway’s The Lion King. She has recorded and performed with some of the biggest musical acts in history, including the Philip Glass Ensemble, David Byrne, the Paul…

by Lauren Vogel Weiss With roots in drum and bugle corps and more than forty years in the activity, James “Jim” Campbell could be considered a marching percussion specialist. And with over four decades teaching at the collegiate level, he might be labeled an educator. But Campbell describes himself as a “musician.” Already a member…

by Rick Mattingly Beverley Johnston will never forget Nancy Zeltsman’s performance at the Marimba 2010 International Festival and Conference in Minneapolis, where Nancy played some of the solo marimba repertoire she had commissioned over the years. “I was impressed with Nancy’s no-nonsense approach to playing the marimba and her thoughtful interpretation of the music at…

by Robert Damm As a newborn in the Upper West Region of Ghana, Bernard Woma’s hands were clenched in fists, as if he was clutching xylophone mallets, a sign to his family that he was destined to become a gyil player. According to Julie Beauregard, “Bernard explained that the highest level of gyil player, known…

by Lauren Vogel Weiss A world-class multiple-percussionist plays many different instruments with skill, creates a proper musical interpretation, envisions the correct setup and “choreography,” and shares that knowledge with others. In Michael Udow’s case, multiple percussion, while one of his favorite “instruments,” is an excellent metaphor for his multi-faceted career. “Michael is a remarkable solo,…

by Lauren Vogel Weiss Roland Kohloff spent nearly half a century as Principal Timpanist in two of  America’s most prominent orchestras: the San Francisco Symphony and the New York Philharmonic. In addition to creating countless musical moments for live audiences and on recordings, he also left a lasting legacy through his students, who carry on…