Matthias Bertsch is a faculty member with expertise spanning musical acoustics, medical acoustics, and ethnomusicology. His work bridges musicology, biomedical engineering, and clinical applications. Academic leadership in structured doctoral programs Research on brass instrument mechanics and NICU sound environments Interdisciplinary focus on music-physiology and psychoacoustics Research Interests: Specializing in the acoustic properties of musical instruments, therapeutic sound applications for premature infants, and physiological analysis of brass players. His work combines empirical measurement with clinical and cultural implications. Article Trends: Publications emphasize brass instrument biomechanics , incubator sound optimization , and music's physiological effects , with recurring themes in virtual acoustics and interdisciplinary methodologies.
Chris Ridley is a Professor at the Royal College of Music , specializing in the Percussion faculty. His role focuses on advanced training in timpani and percussion performance, aligning with the institution’s emphasis on excellence in music education and professional development. Research Interests: Music Performance, Percussion Studies
Anton Mittermayr serves as a University Professor at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna within the Faculty of Music's Wind Instruments and Percussion Department. He has held the position of principal timpanist at the Vienna State Opera and Vienna Philharmonic since September 1996, and at the Vienna Court Orchestra since September 2005. His educational foundation began with music education teacher training in 1990, followed by percussion studies under Prof. Horst Berger starting in 1992. During this period, he gained extensive professional experience as a substitute musician at major institutions including the Vienna State Opera, Vienna Philharmonic, Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, and Vienna Volksoper. Professor Mittermayr's expertise centers on percussion performance with specialization in timpani, orchestral repertoire, and instrumental pedagogy. His career uniquely bridges elite orchestral performance with academic instruction, having taught at MUK since 2001 while maintaining active performing roles. He has also conducted international masterclasses in Japan and the USA, contributing to global percussion education. Throughout his tenure, he has mentored numerous percussion students within the university's instrumental programs. His professional network extends across Vienna's premier musical institutions, where he continues to influence both performance practice and pedagogical approaches in percussion studies.
Dr. Eric Guinivan is an Associate Professor of Composition and Coordinator of the Composition/Theory Area at the James Madison University School of Music. He holds degrees from Indiana University and the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music. His compositions span orchestral, chamber, and solo works, emphasizing percussion and contemporary classical styles. He has been commissioned by organizations like Chamber Music America and the Fromm Foundation, and his works have been performed globally at venues such as Carnegie Hall and festivals like the Banff International String Quartet Competition. Guinivan’s research focuses on rhythmic complexity, instrumental timbre exploration, and cross-cultural musical traditions. As a performer, he is a founding member of the Grammy-nominated Los Angeles Percussion Quartet, with notable solo performances including his own Meditation and Awakening at Carnegie Hall in 2011. He also founded the Composers Circle website, which showcased over 1,500 works by 900 composers from 30 countries. His awards include honors from BMI, ASCAP, and the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Guinivan’s pedagogical contributions include curriculum development in composition and percussion at JMU since 2013.
Ivan Andrić serves as a permanent Lecturer at the Department of Liturgy within the Faculty of Theology at Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek. Since 2017, he has held this full-time academic position, having previously worked as a part-time lecturer from 2013 to 2017. His academic career is deeply intertwined with his ecclesiastical service within the Đakovo-Osijek Archdiocese, where he has held multiple leadership positions in church music. Andrić earned his philosophical and theological education in Đakovo (1997), followed by advanced studies at the Pontifical Institute for Church Music in Rome, where he completed his Master's degree in choral conducting under Professor Walter Marzilli. His academic foundation combines theological training with specialized musical expertise, particularly in liturgical musicology and choral direction. His research focuses on liturgical musicology, with particular emphasis on the musical heritage of Slavonia and the Đakovo-Osijek Archdiocese. Andrić has made significant contributions through historical and musical research on Slavonian church musicians including Jakob Haibel, the Trischler family, Pero Ivanišić-Crnkovački, Stjepan Lovrić, Josip Vallinger, and Mitar Dragutinac. His scholarly work bridges historical musicology with practical liturgical applications, evidenced by his extensive editorial work on historical musical compositions. Andrić has published numerous articles and edited significant musical works, particularly focusing on the Austrian-Đakovo composer Jakob Haibel. His recent publications demonstrate a consistent scholarly output in musicology, liturgical studies, and sacred music composition, with particular attention to historical context and practical liturgical application. Professionally, Andrić has directed multiple choirs including the Cathedral Mixed Choir, Theological Seminary Choir, and cathedral choristers Coram Domino since 2004. He has organized approximately twenty sacred concerts in Croatia and abroad (Italy, Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia), and has recorded a CD titled Mysterium Paschale with Coram Domino. His editorial work includes the liturgical-pastoral magazine Živo vrelo, where he has served on the editorial board since 2004, specifically editing the musical content. Andrić also serves as head of the Archdiocesan Music School and the Office for Church Music within the Đakovo-Osijek Archdiocese. In these capacities, he organizes expert seminars for parish music associates and reviews of church choirs, significantly influencing liturgical music practice throughout the region. His collaborative work with the Croatian Association of Orchestral and Chamber Musicians and Croatia Records demonstrates his commitment to preserving and promoting Croatia's sacred musical heritage.
Giancarlo Aquilanti serves as Director of the Music Theory Program at Stanford University's School of Humanities and Sciences, Department of Music. Born in Jesi, Italy in 1959, he has established himself as a prominent composer, conductor, and educator with deep roots in both Italian musical traditions and American academic excellence. Aquilanti's research interests bridge composition, music theory, and conducting, with a distinctive fusion of Italian operatic tradition and American influences. His work reveals a unique combination of popular melodies from his native region, jazz rhythms, and classical traditions. He has pursued rigorous studies in modern composition and computer-based technology applied to music and acoustics, creating innovative approaches to musical creation and instruction. His compositional output spans diverse genres including orchestral, choral, and band pieces; three string quartets; and numerous concertos and sonatas for various instruments. Aquilanti's works have been performed internationally across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, reflecting his global artistic impact. Walter J. Gores Award for Excellence in Teaching (2004) - Stanford University's highest teaching honor Aquilanti directs the Stanford Wind Ensemble and has performed internationally with both the Stanford Symphony Orchestra and Stanford Wind Ensemble across numerous countries including China, Italy, Germany, and Australia. His current major projects include the opera Oxford Companions and a new CD based on Gianni Rodari's literary texts for young audiences.
Louise Lewis Goodwin serves as a Lecturer in Timpani and holds the position of Principal Timpanist of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra since 2019. She maintains an active international performance career across leading UK ensembles. Educated at the Royal College of Music, she graduated with 1st Class Honours and received the prestigious Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Rosebowl award presented by HRH The Prince of Wales. Her professional focus centers on orchestral percussion performance with specialized expertise in timpani technique and classical repertoire interpretation. Career highlights include collaborations with major symphonic institutions across diverse musical periods. Ms. Goodwin regularly performs with: London Symphony Orchestra Academy of St Martin in the Fields Royal Philharmonic Orchestra BBC Symphony Orchestra Philharmonia Orchestra London Sinfonietta City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Aurora Orchestra Her significant recognition includes the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Rosebowl award for exceptional musical achievement.
I-Jen Fang is an Associate Professor of Timpani and Percussion in the Department of Music at the University of Virginia, where she has been a faculty member since 2005. She also serves as the Principal Timpanist and Percussionist of the Charlottesville Symphony, actively contributing to both academic and performance communities. Her educational background includes a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Percussion Performance from Carnegie Mellon University, a Master of Music from Northwestern University, and a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of North Texas, where she served as a teaching fellow. I-Jen Fang is recognized as an 'intrepid percussionist' and is deeply committed to contemporary and new music. She directed the UVA New Music Ensemble for 14 years, collaborating with prominent artists and composers such as George Lewis, Claire Chase, Philip Glass, and Christian Wolff. Her performance interests extend to gamelan, particularly the Gamelan Gender Wayang, studied under I Ketut Madri in Bali, and she has performed at PASIC on this instrument. She is a founding member of the Piedmont Duo with Ayn Balija, exploring the sonic possibilities of viola and percussion, with recent performances in Hungary and Brazil. As a performer, she has appeared internationally in Taiwan, the U.S., Austria, France, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and South Africa, and has been featured as a marimba soloist with the Charlottesville Symphony. She has performed at major festivals including the Staunton Music Festival, Wintergreen Festival, SEAMUS Conference, and Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC). She is an artist for Innovative Percussion, Marimba One, and Sabian Cymbals, reflecting her professional standing in the percussion community. Throughout her career, I-Jen Fang has commissioned and premiered works by numerous composers, including Judith Shatin, Ed Smith, and D.J. Sparr, demonstrating her leadership in expanding the contemporary percussion repertoire.
Mark Christopher Lutz is a Professor of Classical Percussion and Timpani at the University of Music Würzburg, where he has led the Percussion Department and directed the Percussion-Studio since 1993. A graduate of Northwestern University (B.Mus., M.Mus.), he earned a Meisterklassendiplom with a DAAD scholarship. His career includes solo performances with orchestras like the Queensland Symphony Orchester and leadership roles in international percussion education. Education : Bachelor and Master of Music from Northwestern University, Meisterklassendiplom via DAAD Fellowship Roles : Professor at University of Music Würzburg, Percussion Department Head, Masterclass Organizer Lutz specializes in classical percussion pedagogy, marimba/vibraphone performance, and timpani techniques. His creative work spans compositions for theater productions (e.g., "The Bacchae," "Antigone") and film scores like "The Lottery Rose." He also pioneers percussion improvisation for lectures and dance collaborations. His students, including Nikolai Siebenhaar (1. Preis, Nuremberg Percussion Competition) and Joshua Perret (Bayreuth Festival performer), consistently win awards and secure positions in top orchestras. The Percussion Department under his leadership offers state-of-the-art facilities, including seven dedicated percussion rooms with marimbas, vibraphones, timpani, and drum kits. Scientific Awards : DAAD Scholarship 1. Preis, Musikalische Akademie Würzburg Competition 1. Preis, ABC Young Performers Competition (Australia, 1990) Lutz's "Percussion Around the World Vol. 1" CD showcases his global influence. Notable collaborations include masterclasses with Eric Sammut (Paris), Marinos Tranoudakis (Athens State Opera), and Simone Rubino (Italy). He has held solo recitals and composed for projects like "Natural Fur" with Robert Cürlis.
Belfast-born Michael McHale is a Lecturer in Piano at the Cork School of Music, Munster Technological University. He has established himself as one of Ireland's leading pianists with an international career spanning solo recitals, concerto performances, and chamber music collaborations across major international stages including the BBC Proms, Tanglewood and Tokyo Spring Festivals, Wigmore, Cadogan and Barbican Halls in London, Berlin Konzerthaus, Lincoln and Kennedy Centers, Symphony Hall, Boston and Concertgebouw, Amsterdam. McHale's research and performance interests center on classical piano repertoire with a particular focus on contemporary works and cross-genre collaborations. His work explores the boundaries of traditional classical performance while maintaining deep respect for historical interpretation. He has premiered numerous contemporary compositions including works by Irish composers Andrew Synnott and Linda Buckley, and has a special interest in expanding the piano repertoire through new commissions and innovative programming. His recent performance activities reveal a strong focus on chamber music, particularly through his work with the McGill/McHale Trio, and collaborations with renowned musicians like Michael Collins, Sir James Galway, Barry Douglas, and members of the Wigmore Soloists. His performance schedule shows increasing engagement with contemporary repertoire alongside standard classical works, with upcoming concerts scheduled through 2025. Camerata Ireland Accenture Award Brennan Prize at Dublin International Piano Competition Field Prize at Dublin International Piano Competition Terence Judd/Hallé Award Major Individual Award from Arts Council of Northern Ireland As an educator, McHale has given masterclasses at institutions including Catholic University (Washington DC), Montclair University, Southern University, Bowling Green University, Trinity College Dublin, Royal Irish Academy of Music, and for organizations including the Ulster Orchestra, Moving on Music and the Royal Tunbridge Wells International Music Festival. His teaching focuses on piano performance technique, interpretation, and chamber music collaboration. He maintains an active performance schedule while fulfilling his academic responsibilities at MTU.
Victoria Sparks is a Lecturer at the Desautels Faculty of Music within the University of Manitoba , where she teaches percussion techniques and directs the University of Manitoba Percussion Ensemble. With a teaching philosophy centered on "Drum Love," she emphasizes technical and expressive skill development, fostering creativity and diversity in percussion education. Sparks is actively engaged in the Winnipeg music scene as a soloist and performer with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, where she serves as principal Timpani/Percussion. She also collaborates with local arts organizations such as the Brandon Chamber Players, Groundswell New Music Series, and Royal Winnipeg Ballet.
Bartosz Jakubczak is a Professor and Head of the Organ Department at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music, Warsaw, where he has worked since 2004. As a distinguished organist and educator, he combines performance excellence with academic leadership, serving on the Artistic Discipline Council and organizing the Ars Musica Organ and Chamber Music Festival in Iwonicz. His international recognition includes the Honorary Associate title (ARAM) from the Royal Academy of Music, London, and accolades like the Peter le Huray Whalley Organ Scholarship Award. Graduate of the Fryderyk Chopin Academy of Music, Warsaw Postgraduate studies at Royal Academy of Music, London (G. Solti Scholarship) Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) with dissertation on Gregorian Chant in Charles Tournemire's works Postdoctoral degree (2015) His research and artistic practice focus on organ performance, sacred music traditions, and the intersection of Gregorian chant with 20th-century organ compositions. He explores pedagogical methods for organ education and performs extensively across Europe. Collaborative projects include scientific editing of Marek Jasiński's Psalmody for Organ, Timpani, and Vibraphone with Chopin University Press. Notable achievements include the Prix de la Presse at the Bach Grand Prix de Lausanne (2002) and the world premiere of David Gorton's Salve Sancta Facies at London's Royal Festival Hall. He has lectured at institutions in Poland and the UK, led workshops for secondary music schools, and participated in masterclasses with renowned artists like Marie-Claire Alain. Regular lecturer at Fryderyk Chopin University of Music academic sessions Organ Master Class leader at Ignacy Jan Paderewski Academy of Music Scientific editor for Chopin University Press Reviewer in academic promotion procedures since 2017
Alasdair Kelly is a Lecturer in Timpani and Percussion, specializing in modern professional music performance. His expertise spans percussion instrumentation and timpani techniques. Previously, he performed with the Opera of Bologna in Italy, demonstrating a strong background in classical and operatic music. No formal educational background or current institutional affiliations are explicitly listed in the text. His research interests likely focus on performance practices and pedagogy related to percussion instruments. No recent publications, grants, or awards were mentioned in the provided material.
Charles Ross is an Assistant Professor of Timpani at the University of Rochester within the Department of Woodwinds, Brass & Percussion. A renowned percussionist and timpanist, he has performed, recorded, and toured with prestigious orchestras such as the Philadelphia Orchestra, La Scala Opera, and the Moscow Chamber Orchestra, collaborating with legendary conductors like Leonard Bernstein, Zubin Mehta, and Seiji Ozawa. Education : Bachelor of Music in Percussion from the Curtis Institute of Music, mentored by notable figures including Ken Belding, Alan Abel, and Fred Hinger. Career Highlights : Premiered a timpani concerto by Jeff Tyzik with the Rochester Philharmonic (2010) and Eastman Wind Ensemble (2015). Affiliations : Affiliate artist and clinician for Pearl/Adams, Evans/D’Addario, and JG Percussion.
Jamie Wind Whitmarsh serves as Adjunct Instructor of Percussion at Oklahoma City University while holding principal timpanist position with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic and Executive Director role for the Oklahoma Modern Music Collective. His multifaceted career spans performance, composition, and game audio design through collaborations with indie studios and ensembles including Duo Rodinia and Great Plains Percussion Group. Educational credentials include a Doctorate in Percussion Performance from the University of Oklahoma, Master's in Music Composition from Florida State University, and Bachelor's in Music with dual concentrations in Percussion Performance and Composition from Oklahoma City University. Research focuses on advancing percussion performance techniques, contemporary composition practices, and innovative game audio integration. Whitmarsh actively develops accessible modern music through cross-disciplinary projects that bridge classical traditions with digital media, emphasizing audience engagement and educational outreach in new music contexts. His creative output reveals consistent exploration of percussion's role across diverse formats - from orchestral works and percussion ensembles to video game soundtracks - demonstrating technical innovation and interdisciplinary synthesis that expands contemporary music's reach. Prestigious recognitions include: PAS Composition Competition first place (2012) for Concerto for Drumset PAS Composition Competition second place (2013) for Variations 2.0 MTNA Young Artist Composition Competition first place (2014) 48-Hour Film Project Best Musical Score (2018) for Big Day American Prize in Music third place (2021) for American Biomes Professional leadership extends through board memberships with Oklahoma Modern Music Collective, Oklahoma Community Orchestra, and American Voices, alongside service on the PAS Composition Committee. Whitmarsh actively cultivates community through moderation of game audio Discord channels and international workshops, while maintaining performance commitments with 405 Steel (Oklahoma's professional steel band) and multiple recording projects.
