ABOUT John R. Beck with University of North Carolina Percussion Professors Juan Álamo, Thomas Taylor, Eric Willie and Xin Yin (Amy)
SESSION TITLE: Your Ear Drum: The Most Important Instrument You Own
Dr. Juan Álamo, John R. Beck, Thomas Taylor, and Dr. Eric Willie are all percussion professors in the University of North Carolina system. (UNC-Chapel Hill, UNC School of the Arts, North Carolina Central University, and UNC-Greensboro) They joined forces as a quartet for PASIC 2024 to perform and discuss hearing health for musicians. The group’s diverse backgrounds and experiences cover a wide range of musical styles in percussion, and they bring over 100 years of combined teaching and performing experience to this clinic.
Juan Álamo
Juan Álamo is an Associate Professor at the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Music and a William Wilson Brown, Jr. Distinguished Term Associate Professor in Latin American Studies. Originally from Caguas, Puerto Rico, Dr. Álamo has presented master classes and recitals at universities, the prestigious Percussive Arts Society International Conference, as well as various percussion and jazz festivals throughout the United States, Europe, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. Dr. Álamo has published six marimba recordings: Remembrance (2007), Marimjazzia (2014), Pursuing Freedom (2016) Ruta Panoramica (2019), Ensoñación (2021) and Marimbissimo: A Latin American Suite for Marimba and Big Band (2024).
Dr. Álamo has published two marimba books: Four Mallet Music for the Modern Marimba Player and Marimbissimo: A Musical Guide to Chordal Voice and Improvisation for Intermediate to Advance Marimba Players. He is also the co-author of the jazz vibes book Milt Jackson: Transcribed Solos of the Master. As a composer, Dr. Álamo has several pieces published by major publishing companies such as C. Alan Publication, Musicon Publications, Row-Loff Productions, and Mallet Work Inc. Álamo is a performing artist and clinician for Yamaha, Meinl Percussion, and Innovative Percussion Inc.
John R. Beck
After serving as the percussion professor at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts for 25 years, John R. Beck became the Coordinator for Arts & Health Partnerships in 2023. He is the principal percussionist of the Winston-Salem Symphony and percussionist with the Greensboro Symphony, Brass Band of Battle Creek, Philidor Percussion Group, and the Blue Mountain Ensemble.
A former soloist with the United States Marine Band, John also performed regularly with the National and Baltimore Symphonies and Washington and Baltimore Operas. He has toured as a xylophone soloist with the Jack Daniel’s Silver Cornet Band, Brass Band of Battle Creek, and the New Sousa Band.
Beck is a Past President of the Percussive Arts Society and holds degrees from the Oberlin Conservatory and the Eastman School of Music. He is a recipient of the League of American Orchestras Ford Musician Award for Excellence in Community Service. He endorses the Innovative, Remo, Yamaha, and Zildjian percussion companies.
Thomas Taylor
North Carolina based drummer Thomas Taylor has spent his life discovering the drums, rhythms, and music from all walks of life. Raised in the churches of NC, Thomas came to learn the importance of supporting the music from behind the drumset. He studied classical percussion and music education at the University of North Carolina Greensboro earning his bachelor’s (’91) and master’s (’09) degrees.
Thomas learned the importance of swing, playing gigs across the US in the early 1990s. After college, Thomas began teaching percussion, music, and jazz at community music schools and universities in NC. He continues to teach at North Carolina Central University where he is an Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies and Percussion.
Thomas spent 10 years working, playing, and teaching with world-renowned jazz educator Jamey Aebersold. This opportunity allowed him to meet and perform with some of the world’s most important and influential jazz musicians. He continues to play with some of the international jazz community’s most loved and respected artists. Thomas has shared the stage with Terell Stafford, Branford Marsalis, Joey Calderazzo, Joe Chambers, Hubert Laws, Grady Tate, Jim Snidero, Corey Christiansen, Dan Hearle, Percy Heath, Cedar Walton, Vanessa Rubin, and so many others over the last 25+ years.
Thomas has performed and taught around the world spreading his message of swing in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. You can find Thomas performing on the east coast with his drummer-led groups performing his original music, and hear his recordings on most music streaming platforms.
Thomas has written articles for Percussive Notes, Modern Drummer, and The Music Educator’s Journal, has authored a chapter in a popular music education book for K-12 educators, and has written a hip hop music appreciation textbook titled Yo’ Check This: Topics in Hip Hop, published by Great River Learning.
Eric Willie
Described as “unstoppable,” Eric Willie has a varied career as a percussion soloist, orchestral player, and teacher. His solo performances have occurred throughout the United States, Russia, Brasil, and Colombia, in addition to music festivals throughout the United States. A long-time educator, Eric has presented at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC), the Midwest Clinic, as well as several days of percussion and music educator conventions.
Currently a member of the percussion section of the Winston-Salem Symphony, Eric additionally performs as an extra performer with the New Hampshire Music Festival and ProMusica Chamber Orchestra. Most recently as a Fulbright Scholar, Eric studied the Maracatu Nações in Recife, Pernambuco Brasil, and served as a Regency Professor at the Universidade Federal do Pernambuco.
Within the Percussive Arts Society (PAS), Eric has served as an elected member of the PAS Board of Advisors and as Chair of the PAS International Percussion Ensemble Committee. His percussion ensembles have been named winners of the 2015 and 2021 PAS International Percussion Ensemble Competitions (IPEC).
Currently, Eric serves as Professor of Percussion Studies at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro where he recently received the UNC Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching Award. He and his wife, Rebecca, reside in Greensboro with their children Aiden and Elina.
Xin Yin (Amy)
Xin Yin (Amy), Assistant Professor of Percussion at Western Carolina University is recognized as an up-and-coming force in percussion performance and pedagogy from Shenzhen, China. Amy has appeared at the Percussive Arts Society’s International Convention, Internasonal de Percusion (Columbia), and the International Saxophone Symposium. She currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Percussion at Western Carolina University. Amy was nominated for the 2023 Outstanding Graduate Teaching Associate award from UNC-Greensboro, the College of Visual and Performing Arts, and has been honored as a Minerva Scholar, the highest recognition for a doctoral student. As a teaching assistant at UNCG, she co-directed the percussion ensemble for their PASIC showcase in 2021 and served as Interim Associate Director of the Percussion Studio in spring 2022. Proudly endorsed by Vic Firth Sticks and Mallets, Amy also serves as an elected Percussive Arts Society International Committee member.
