Sandy Feldstein
(1940 - 2007)
|
Sandy
Feldstein
Sandy Feldstein was an innovator in percussion publishing and education for more
than thirty years. He began his career as a performing musician while in high school and continued through college performing on all percussion
instruments in all styles of music. During that time he studied with the famed Henry Adler in New York with whom he mentored both as a performer
and music publisher. While still in college, Sandy was an editor for Henry Adler's music publishing company. This began his career of creating and
editing percussion books and music. While editing many of the famous Henry Adler books, he began authoring and co-authoring products that were to
show new directions in percussion publishing. Whether he was working with Roy Burns on the first series of multiple percussion solos published in
book form, Vic Firth on Timpani solos with piano accompaniment or marimba books that taught bass clef and the balance of inner voices, he was always
an innovator. In his twenty year association with Alfred Publishing as director of education and later as executive vice president, he continued to
develop creative percussion publications including David Garibaldi's first drum set book and his own beginning snare drum method co authored with
Dave Black, which today is one of the most widely used books in the world for beginning snare drum instruction.
After Alfred, Sandy became the president of Columbia Pictures Publications and Belwin Music. He saw the future of video instruction and purchased DCI
video. Along with Rob Wallace and Paul Siegel he again changed the direction of percussion education. When Warner Bros. purchased Columbia Pictures
Publications, he remained as president for three years continuing to push the envelope of percussion publications in print, audio and video. This catalog
still stands as one of the most complete and innovative collections of percussion methods, music and videos.
In 1997 he began his own company, PlayinTime Productions, Inc. , and two years later became president of Carl Fischer Music. At Carl Fischer he was able to
build a strong percussion publication schedule while continuing to build PlayinTime. The new DVD's and books by Dave Weckl, Akira Jimbo and DVD's in process
by Ed Soph and Stanton Moore as well as classical percussion books by John Beck, John Tafoya and Nick Petrella are just some of the new exciting material he
published at Carl Fischer. At the same time, PlayinTime began an aggressive publishing schedule. It has produced a series of four books co-authored by Vic
Firth and Sandy reuniting an authoring team that started in the 1970's at Henry Adler. PlayinTime has also produced two drum set book/CD's by Ignacio Berroa
and a complete band method, The Yamaha Advantage by Larry Clark and Sandy which continues to create new musical approaches for the beginning percussionist.
As an author he has published over 700 books and compositions that are used by students all over the world, but more important he has put his knowledge to
work in shaping thousands of publicationsthat have changed and improved the percussive arts. Hundreds of authors and performers have been nurtured and mentored
by him and constantly call for his advise which is always given with a smile.
As a teacher, Sandy began the percussion program at the Crane School of Music, State University of New York. While there he had the pleasure of working with
students who have made their mark on the percussion teaching, performing and composing world. They include Gary Chaffee (a recipient of the PAS outstanding
teacher award), Gary Burke and Murray Houllif. When he left to purse his career in publishing, his role at the college was taken over by James Peterscak who
is still in that position today.
Sandy Feldstein was the third president of the Percussive Arts Society and is credited for being one of the industry leaders who laid the ground work for the
society as it exists today. When he was president the PAS Hall of Fame awards were founded and awarded to its first recipients.
|
|
Larry
Clark
Larry
Clark is the Vice President of Instrumental
Music for Carl Fischer in New York. He is well
known for his band compositions and arrangements.
Larry’s pieces have been performed internationally
and appear on numerous contest/festival performance
lists. His music is characterized by rhythmic
verve, colorful scoring and playability at every
performance level. Along with Sandy Feldstein,
he is the co-author of the innovative new band
instruction method the Yamaha Advantage™
Musicianship from Day One.
His diverse background also includes serving
as the Director of Bands at Syracuse University
as well as considerable experience in public
school teaching in the state of Florida. He
holds a Bachelors Degree in Music Education
from Florida State University and Masters Degrees
in Conducting and Composition from James Madison
University in Virginia. |
|
Giovanni
Hidalgo
Giovanni
Hidalgo began playing percussion in his native
Puerto Rico at the age of five. He is the son
of the great percussionist Jose “Manengue”
Hidalgo so while growing up; his home was full
of interesting instruments to play.
Gio, as his friends affectionately call him,
began adapting the traditional rudiments of
snare drum playing into his hand drumming. This
practice helped him develop his incredible technique.
Combinations of single, double and triple strokes
and rolls have become part of his unique sound,
incredible technique and musical approach to
performing.
He became popular outside of Puerto Rico when
he toured Cuba in the 1980’s with the
band Batacumbele. While in Cuba, he developed
a life long friendship with Changuito, and began
to be a major influence on the development of
musical styles that bridge cultures and open
new vistas for musical expression.
Giovanni Hidalgo’s work with Dizzy Gillespie’s
United Nations Orchestra, with Eddie Palmieri,
Tito Puente, Art Blakey, Michel Camilo and Paquito
dRivera to name a few, has opened the ears of
all hand drummers, percussionists and composers/arrangers
to new possibilities of music making.
A musician’s musician, Gio’s skill
and technique are admired by percussionists
around the world. He is constantly evolving
as a musician melding Latin, jazz and folkloric
music into his own unique signature style.
|
