by Lauren Vogel Weiss

October 5, 1962 – January 11, 2025

Steven W. Beck, Executive Director for the Percussive Arts Society from 1988 through 1996, died in his sleep on Jan. 11, 2025 at the age of 62. He oversaw PAS’s move from Urbana, Illinois to Lawton, Oklahoma in 1991 and was instrumental in opening PAS’s first museum.

In his “Message from the Administrative Manager” column in the August 1992 issue of Percussive Notes, Beck wrote about the new PAS International Headquarters and Museum in Lawton, saying “this new facility is truly a victory for PAS,” and he invited members to visit.

Neil Grover, founder of Grover Pro Percussion, stated, “I had the good fortune to work with and get to know Steve Beck on a personal basis while he was the Executive Director of PAS. He was a smart, compassionate individual whose contributions to PAS have helped shape the wonderful organization it has become. Steve always took the time to listen to his peers and work collaboratively for the benefit of all. We all owe a debt of gratitude to Steve.”

Born in Salem, Illinois, Steve was raised in Anderson, Indiana, southwest of Muncie. His first drum lesson, with John McMahon, was on May 7, 1974. After three years of lessons, Beck was inducted into NARD (National Association of Rudimental Drummers) in 1977, an achievement the 15-year-old was very proud of.

Beck’s connection to PAS began long before he became an employee of the organization. He studied percussion at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana with Richard Paul, former principal percussionist of the Indianapolis Symphony. Paul co-founded Percussive Notes magazine, the official publication of PAS, with Erwin Mueller, another of Steve’s teachers at Ball State, and James L. Moore.

After attending school for three years, Beck took an educational sabbatical and went to work for Custom Music, the distributor of Kori Percussion in the U.S., for two years before returning to college. He graduated from Ball State with a Bachelor of Music Education degree in 1986. His senior recital (on January 18, 1986) included Alan Abel’s snare drum solo “2040’s Sortie,” a movement from Robert Kurka’s “Concerto for Marimba,” John Bergamo’s “Four Pieces for Timpani,” “Two Mexican Dances for Marimba” by Gordon Stout, George Hamilton Green’s xylophone rag “Jovial Jasper,” and a performance with a small jazz combo. During this delayed senior year, he met his future wife, Maria.

Beck continued his percussion studies at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, where he studied with Johnny Lee Lane. As a graduate assistant, Steve also conducted the EIU Percussion Ensemble. In 1988, Beck received his master’s degree in Percussion Performance from EIU.

In the fall of 1988, Beck joined PAS in its Urbana, Illinois headquarters as the Administrative Manager and Advertising Manager. John H. Beck (no relation), Professor Emeritus at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York and PAS Past President (1987–90) recalls Steve as “an educated business person as well as a talented percussionist. Both personally and professionally, we had a friendly relationship that was beneficial to the society and its members. He was always moving PAS forward, and history has proven so. Steve will always be remembered as a major force in the development of the Percussive Arts Society.”

In 1991, PAS relocated its headquarters, and Steve, along with Maria (also a member of the PAS staff for several years), moved to Lawton, Oklahoma. Working from a temporary office location while he oversaw the building of the new facility, Beck managed the office, sold advertising for Percussive Notes, managed the PASIC exhibit floor, and worked alongside the PAS Executive Committee. The new headquarters and museum building opened on August 8, 1992.

In his August 1993 column in Percussive Notes, Beck wrote, “We do not believe PAS is a building, or publications, or even an annual convention. These are all very important services that take most of our time and attention, but we know that PAS is simply the people who make up the membership. Names and faces will continue to change, but the interest in percussion education and communication remains the same.”

Garwood Whaley, founder of Meredith Music Publications and PAS Past President (1993–96), was saddened to hear of Beck’s passing. “During my two terms as PAS President,” he said, “Steve and I talked almost daily, and not only became professional colleagues, but close personal friends as well. During my frequent visits to our museum/headquarters in Lawton, Steve, and his wife Maria and daughter Megan (who was around four years old at the time) would greet me with a warm welcome when picking me up at the airport. For four years, it was always like a family reunion that I still remember with clarity and strong sentiments.

“I have so many fond memories of Steve,” Whaley continued. “After our last session of a board meeting in Lawton, Steve wanted us to experience a typical evening meal at a country restaurant. It was located in an area of sprawling ranch land and required a lengthy ride on country roads. Halfway there, we came upon a herd of about 300 buffalo that were crossing the road, causing us to stop short. The animals totally encircled our car as they moved slowly across the road. They were so close we could have reached out and touched them, and they were as big as New York City cabs, but moved much slower! None of us had ever experienced a buffalo crossing and were a bit uneasy. What did Steve say? ‘Relax, it’s just a buffalo crossing!’ That was the way he handled most things as our Executive Director: cool, calm and collected.”

Shawn Girsberger, Director of PAS Publications from 1993–97, recalled her former boss. “The thing I remember most about Steve is that he really cared about the people who worked with him, and he listened to them. When I had surgery that required me to be out of the office for six weeks, he helped me move a computer to my house so I could work when I was able. We still needed to get Percussive Notes out on schedule, and we both knew that would be the best medicine for me! He would stop by regularly to see how I was doing, all the time telling me not to rush recovery and to take the time I needed.

“Steve was always interested in everyone’s personal and professional development,” she continued. “He made sure we got training when we needed or wanted it. Steve was kind and optimistic, and he had a great sense of humor. He, and Maria and Megan, were involved in the community as well as their church.”

Rick Mattingly worked with Steve as a member of the PAS Board of Directors and as PAS publications editor. “Being the Executive Director of PAS can be stressful, especially around PASIC time,” Mattingly said. “But Steve always handled everything calmly, professionally, and with good humor. He was very supportive of the publications staff, and was truly one of the nicest people I’ve ever met.”

Genaro Gonzalez, Professor of Percussion at Texas State University and former PAS President (1997–98), said, “I worked very closely with Steve for many years when I served as an Executive Officer for PAS. Steve and I also conducted site inspections of possible PASIC host cities, while organizing and presenting the conventions to the membership. I always admired Steve’s calm, cool, and professional demeanor in dealing with any adversity. He was truly a good friend, who will be sorely missed, and never forgotten.”

In October 1993, Steve Beck was named the first Executive Director of PAS and took on even more responsibilities. He continued working for PAS for three more years, making him the third longest-serving Executive Director in PAS history (to date), with eight years working for the society.

In the August 1996 issue of PN, Garwood Whaley wrote in his President’s report: “Steve has played a major role in establishing the Percussive Arts Society as perhaps the leading musical organization of its kind in the world. Steve has represented PAS as a gentleman in the very best sense of the term. He is well liked and highly regarded by all levels of our membership. He has embraced his position with PAS as both a profession and a love — a quality difficult to find in today’s marketplace. His impact on PAS has been profound.”

After leaving PAS that fall, Beck joined the Pro-Mark Corporation in Houston, Texas as the General Manager, a position he held until 2011. “Steve and I began working together in 1996, although we had known each other for several years prior to that,” stated Maury Brochstein, President of ProMark from 1994–2011 and currently a consultant for D’Addario & Company, Inc. “Steve’s laughter and positive spirit were contagious throughout Pro-Mark. He led by example, making every challenge seem achievable and every success more joyful. Above all, Steve’s family and religion were the most important things in his life. We will deeply miss his positive light and spirit.”

Pat Brown, former Worldwide Director of Sales and Marketing for ProMark where he worked for 27 years, remembered the first time he met Beck. “Steve was the newly appointed Executive Director at PAS and we hit it off immediately. Several years later, at a Modern Drummer Festival weekend, he confided to me that he was considering a change. It happened that ProMark had decided to hire a General Manager and a few weeks later, Steve, Maria, and Megan were in Houston.

“It was one of the best decisions we ever made,” Brown continued. “We had a fine time while he was there. So many road trips; so many laughs. Steve made a difference in the lives of everyone he touched. I’ll never forget you, my friend.”

Staci (Stokes) Waites, former Director of Education for ProMark, called Steve “an incredible husband, father, musician, friend, and leader. Those of us fortunate enough to share space with him every day were blessed by his constant grace and compassion. He was someone we could confide in, offering a shoulder to lean on, wise words to guide us, and hugs that had the power to heal. Integrity and respect guided his every action, and his genuine warmth and love touched all who had the privilege of knowing him.”

During his years at ProMark, Steve continued to serve PAS as a volunteer. He was a member of the Board of Directors for four years (1999–2002) and then joined the Executive Committee, first as PAS Secretary (2003–04), then as PAS Treasurer (2007–10).

Immediate PAS Past-President Julie Davila remembered her friend. “I had the pleasure of serving with Steve during my first term on the PAS Board of Directors [in 2007]. In my opinion, his guidance and leadership, especially regarding a financial strategy to ensure sustainability, contributed to the vibrancy of PAS today. Steve gave all of himself to PAS and the percussion industry, and he did so earning the highest regard of respect from the community. He was a friend to many and always shined with kindness and dignity.”

In 2003, Steve and his wife Maria founded Marimba Warehouse, a business that provided small “practice marimbas” for young students. “Steve was passionate about having better options than bell kits for beginners,” explained Staci Waites. “Back then, there were no other instruments available, so he started to work on designing and building an instrument that could be used as a better practice instrument for beginner percussionists. And he was adamant that the instrument sound good, with both quality wood and materials, as well as having a bar size like a genuine xylophone or marimba.” Staci and her husband, Bryan Waites, recently acquired the company from the Beck family.

“Steve never stopped striving to improve the world of music and education,” added Waites, who also served as the second PAS intern in the 1990s. “Tirelessly dedicated, he worked to enhance the instruments, the environment, and the culture that defined his life’s passion. His love for the Percussive Arts Society went far beyond his tenure as Executive Director. Serving as Secretary and Treasurer, and offering steadfast support to the Board of Directors, he brought unwavering commitment to these roles, too. Steve’s deep connections within the Percussive Arts community fueled his determination to strengthen and nurture a vibrant, healthy, and inclusive space for all involved.”

Michael Balter, founder of Mike Balter Mallets and former PAS Treasurer (1991–2006), was sad to learn of his friend’s passing. “Steve Beck was always the one with a smile. He joined PAS at a strategic time for the organization, guiding the move from Urbana to Lawton, where he was instrumental with the groundbreaking and construction of the new headquarters and museum. Steve will always be part of PAS’s history, and may his name forever be a blessing.”

Bob Breithaupt, PAS Past President (1999–2000) and Professor Emeritus at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, called Beck “an integral part of the growth and development of PAS and a wonderful human being.”

On January 7, 2011, approximately 14 years before the day he died, Steve suffered a debilitating stroke and had to leave his beloved percussion industry. At PASIC 2011, Beck received the Outstanding PAS Service Award.

Steve Beck is survived by his wife of 37 years, Maria Beck, along with their daughter Megan Garland, son-in-law J.R. Garland, and new grandson Declan Garland.

Author’s Note: Steve was an outstanding PAS Executive Director (and I’ve known a few) because he was so knowledgeable, professional, and friendly! From my various “roles” with PAS over the years — as a chapter president, committee chair, Board member, and frequent contributor to the publications — I had a unique perspective of how qualified he was to balance all the people and their priorities, and still get everything done. And he and Maria made everyone feel so welcome in Lawton! I’ll miss you, my friend….