YAMAHA ORCHESTRAL PERCUSSION SEMINAR
GIVES STUDENTS REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (September 5, 2003)—Approximately 45 high school and college percussionists from across the country attended the first annual Yamaha Orchestral Percussion Seminar (YOPS) on the campus of DePaul University School of Music in Chicago, IL. The seminar took place in April enabling students and faculty to share ideas on orchestral performance and auditioning, and consisted of master classes and performances by such legendary musicians as Alan Abel, former Percussionist of the Philadelphia Orchestra; Ted Atkatz, Yamaha Artist and Principal Percussionist of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; and Michael Burritt, Associate Professor and Director of percussion studies at Northwestern University.

(Back, L - R) John Wittmann, Manager, Education and Artist Relations, Yamaha Corporation of America; Jim Campbell, Yamaha Artist and Professor of music and Director of percussion studies at the University of Kentucky; Kevin Lepper, Yamaha artist and Director of percussion studies at VanderCook College (Front, L - R) Mock audition winners Seth Ruse, Daniel Bauch and Kris Keeton

The weekend culminated in a performance by the DePaul University Percussion Ensemble and a competition in which 15 college level students were given the opportunity to participate in a mock audition in front of a blind panel of judges. Seth Ruse of Temple University came in first place and won a birch piccolo snare drum, donated by Yamaha Corporation of America, Band & Orchestral Division. Second place went to Daniel Bauch from Boston University and Kris Keeton from Northwestern University took third place.

"I came up with the idea for the seminar because I thought that a lot of what was happening in the professional audition was being left unsaid," says Atkatz. "I wanted students to be exposed to both sides of the audition - being a player and being on the committee. I saw the event as a means to dissect the intricacies of auditions, so as to demystify the experience for the benefit of young percussionists. By bringing together students from many different areas of the country, we gave them the opportunity to share ideas with professional percussionists and each other."

Other notables who participated were Jim Campbell, Yamaha Artist and Professor of music and Director of percussion studies at the University of Kentucky; Timothy Genis, Yamaha Artist and Principal Timpanist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra; Mike Green, Principal Percussionist of Chicago Lyric Opera; and Michael Udow, Principal Percussionist of the Santa Fe Opera.

"In the future I see YOPS expanding to include more participants in the mock audition," continues Atkatz. "The seminar was highly beneficial to all involved, and a lot of fun!"

Due to the overwhelming success of the event, Yamaha plans on making it an annual event with plans to expand to the East and West coast, as well as the Midwest.

For more information, write Yamaha Corporation of America, Band & Orchestral Division, 39 West Jackson Place, Suite 150, Indianapolis, IN 46225; send e-mail to infostation@yamaha.com; or visit www.yamaha.com/band.