International Marimba Competition - Paris, 2009

Frederic Macarez sent me a note about the 2009 International Marimba Competition in Paris, France, November 24-29, 2009. If you're a percussionist 25 years old or younger, please visit the competition's website at www.marimbamania.net. You can also contact the French PAS chapter via email at pasfrancechapter@noos.fr. Registration is April 1st through July 31st, 2009.

Evelyn Auditions for Oscar

We've all gotta pay our dues, even the best of us, and here is the proof: a video of Evelyn Glennie auditioning for the Grouchketeers!

Alexader Lepak Dies

_{Photograph credit: Mark Mirko, Hartford Courant (May 16, 2003)}

Reports are coming in that percussionist Alexander Lepak, co-author of the famous Friese-Lepak Timpani Method, 56-year veteran timpanist of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, and a member of the Percussive Arts Society hall of fame, has died at the age of 88 years old.

Update: here is a link to the story.

HSO Percussionist Alexander Lepak Dies At 88.

The Blues

I haven't broken a stick or mallet in many, many years. The last time I broke a mallet was a week before my senior recital in college (and oh, how I needed that LHS 17Z too...and of course all my normal suppliers out of stock...so that wasn't good).

Yesterday I let a colleague borrow my "lucky" pair of Malletech Becker Blue's (why they're lucky, don't ask me...it's a superstition thing) and after a few glissandos, they were returned in the condition shown above. The shaft of one seems to have failed, along with the head becoming loose on the other. Funny thing is that they're not a matched pair; maybe they were mixed with another pair sometime in the past.

If I'm not thrilled to loan out mallets in the future, this is evidence as to why. Be nice to other peoples gear.

Ruddigore, 2009

This was my setup for the The Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company production of Ruddigore.

I went to my stash of triangles and, instead of going with the usual Abel 6-inch default workhorse (in the 11-o'clock position), I went with a smaller Grover overtone series triangle (in the 4-o'clock position) and, in my humble opinion, it blended much better with the orchestra in a very dry pit.

Russell Peck, Dead at 64

^{Photo credit: Joseph Rodriguez}

Composer Russell Peck has died at the age of 64 years old. Mr. Peck was best known for writing idiomatic music for orchestra and chamber ensembles, and is also the composer of several works featuring percussion including Harmonic Rhythm (concerto for timpani and orchestra), The Glory and Grandeur (percussion trio and orchestra), and other works for chamber ensembles.

We wish his family and survivors the best.