Indianapolis, IN (Top40 Charts/ Yamaha Corporation of America) - Yamaha is pleased to announce the addition of four new concert percussionists to their artist roster: Ian Ding, Assistant Principal Percussionist of the
Detroit Symphony Orchestra; Jauvon Gilliam, Timpanist of the
National Symphony Orchestra; Michael LaMattina, Principal Percussionist of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra; and Steve Fitch, Percussionist, Assistant Principal Timpanist and Solo Drum Set Performer with The
Phoenix Symphony. The addition of these four gifted percussionists adds even more talent to the elite Yamaha roster of percussionists.
Before his current position in Washington, D.C., Mr. Gilliam, a native of Gary, Indiana, spent seven years as timpanist for the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra; a position he won only five months into his first year of graduate studies at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Mr. Gilliam is also Professor at the University of Maryland.
Mr. Ding also brings his keen talent to the contemporary music collective New Music Detroit, of which he is a founding member. Previously, Mr. Ding was a member of the New World Symphony in Miami under Michael Tilson Thomas and the Verbier Festival Orchestra in Switzerland under James Levine. Mr. Ding is currently a Professor at the University of Michigan.
Mr. LaMattina also plays with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra Trio and the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra Percussion Trio, as well as playing in the percussion section of the Columbus Symphony. Past positions have included Principal Percussion of the Canton Symphony, Principal Timpani/Percussion of the ProMusica Chamber Orchestra of Columbus, and Principal Percussion with the Colorado Music Festival in Boulder, Colo. Mr. LaMattina is on faculty at Cedarville University as well as serving as percussion specialist with Centerville Public School.
In addition to being at part of the Phoenix Symphony for 27 seasons, Mr. Fitch has been the solo drum set player for the Phoenix Symphony Pops and works with the Phoenix Symphony Guild Youth Orchestra. Mr. Fitch is also a founding member of the Kalamazoo Percussion Trio in Hanover, Germany. Mr. Fitch taught for many years on the faculty of the "Festival junger Kuenstler" in Bayreuth, Germany.
'Being able to work with Jauvon, Ian, Steve, and Michael is an honor for our Yamaha Team,' said John Wittmann, Artist Relations Manager, Yamaha Corporation of America. 'We look forward to including these fine artists in every way possible, as we continue to develop the most musical instruments in the world. Everyone on our team is thrilled to have such gifted and busy artists, now signed as Yamaha Performing Artists.'
Yamaha manages more artist relationships than any other musical instrument manufacturer in the world, with thousands of Yamaha Artists and Clinicians performing and teaching around the world. The addition of these four artists brings even more talent to an already impressive roster.
