YAMAHA FLUTE ARTIST JIM WALKER MAKES MOVIE MUSIC MAGIC

GRAND RAPIDS, MI (March 28, 2002)—If you hear a flute at the movies these days, chances are you're hearing Yamaha performing artist Jim Walker. Movies like Back to the Future, Ghostbusters, Toy Story, Schindler's List, Forrest Gump, and Austin Powers are only a handful of the numerous films that feature his unique flute stylings. Most recently, Walker was tapped to perform the Oscar-nominated "Vanilla Sky" with Paul McCartney at the 74th annual Academy Awards® on March 24. There were other Yamaha artists on hand for the Oscars: saxophonist Gary Foster, trumpeter Tim Morrison, and tuba player Jim Self, who all performed with the John Williams led Academy Awards Orchestra. Jim Walker plays a Yamaha YFL-991—a custom, handmade gold flute.

Yamaha at the Oscars: trumpeter Tim Morrison, flutist Jim Walker, saxophonist Gary Foster, and tuba player Jim Self. Walker performed with Paul McCartney; Morrison, Foster and Self performed with the John Williams led Academy Awards Orchestra.

"Yamaha's support over the past 20 years has provided me with many opportunities, including the unforgettable experience of performing with Paul McCartney at this year's Oscars." says Walker. "Being an artist on their roster has been a wonderful career choice for me."

Walker's youth in Greenville, KY was full of music. His father was a public school band director and jazz clarinetist, his mother was a church organist, and piano and flute lessons started for him at age six. After graduating with honors from the University of Louisville, Walker enlisted in the Army and attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he joined the U.S.M.A. Band while studying with Metropolitan Opera principal flutist, Harold Bennett. He then joined the Pittsburgh Symphony, followed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, at which point Walker resigned his principal flute position in 1985 to focus on his group, Free Flight. The jazz/classical collaboration today consists of Walker and Yamaha piano artist Mike Garson. Their most recent releases are Free Flight 2000 and The Best of Free Flight.

For the past eighteen years, Walker has been a Yamaha performing artist. In keeping with Yamaha's dedication to music education, most of Walker's master classes are partially sponsored by the company's Band & Orchestral Division. He has conducted flute master classes and clinics in the U.S., Canada, Europe, South America, Korea, Japan and Russia. Since 1988, Walker has been the coordinator of flute at the University of Southern California School of Music. He is also a master teacher for the New World Symphony. In addition, Walker has had several appearances on the "Tonight Show."

For more information, write Yamaha Corporation of America, Band & Orchestral Division, 3445 East Paris Ave. S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49518; telephone (616) 940-4900; e-mail infostation@yamaha.com; or visit the web site at http://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/CDA/Catalog/Catalog_GSXOXX/0,6363,CTID=231200&CNTYP=PRODUCT&VNM=LIVE&AFLG=Y,00.html.