- Professor for Marimba at the 'Bruckneruniversity' in Linz / Austria
-Artistic Director at the "International Marimba Festival and Competition" Linz
- Leader of the 'PRISMA' - Percussion Quartet
- Endorser for 'ADAMS' Marimbas
-Professor at the 'Katarzyna Mycka Marimba Academy', Poland

-Professor at the "International Marimba Festival Adelaide" 2005, Australien

-Jury-Member "International Competition for Percussion Instruments - Pendim" in Plovdiv, Bulgarien

-Jury-Member at the "International Marimba Competition" Ljubljana 2005







"Born to play...
There are unique aspects in Bogdan B

Michael Burritt is currently Associate Professor and Director of Percussion Studies in the School of Music at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois where he has developed a program of international distinction. He previously held the same position at Kent State University from 1985-1995. Mr. Burritt is also a permanent guest professor at the Musikhogskolan in Pitea, Sweden and a member of the faculty for the Chautauqua summer music school. Mr. Burritt received his Bachelor and Master of Music Degrees as well as the prestigious Performerｹs Certificate from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. His teachers include John Beck, Gordon Stout, Paul Yancich and Herbert Flower.

Michael Burritt has become one of the worldｹs leading percussion artists and pedagogs, specializing in the area of marimba. He is in frequent demand giving concerts and lectures throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia and Asia. He has released two solo recordings, Perpetual and Shadow Chasers, comprised of his own compositions as well as works commissioned expressly for him. Mr. Burritt is currently working on his third solo recording titled Waking Dreams, with the Resonator Records Label. He has been a featured artist at six Percussive Arts Society International Conventions and presented his New York debut in Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall.

Michael Burritt is also an active composer having written two books of etudes as well as numerous solo and chamber works for solo marimba, solo percussion and percussion ensemble. He is published with C. Alan Publications, Keyboard Percussion Publications, Ludwig Music Publishing, and Innovative Percussion. Mr. Burritt is an artist/clinician and product design consultant for Malletech where he has developed his own line of signature series mallets. He is also a Zildjian performing artist and educational consultant. Mr. Burritt is a member of the Percussive Arts Society Board of Directors and a contributing editor for Percussive Notes Magazine.
(Added 1997.6.12, updated 2002.5.3)

Born in 1937, Maestro Abe is one of the first person to make Marimba a solo instrument and received the award from the Ministry of Culture for four times. Her repatoir spans Solo, popular, classic, Japanese folk songs to concerti. In 1981, she played "Lauda Concertata" with America Symphony (Dir. Comissioner) at the Carnegie Hall, and in 1988, she appeared at the Berlin Philharmony Hall.
She is also famous for her composition such as "Dream of Cherry Blossoms". Numerous CDs has been published.
She currently teaches at Toho Gakuen University.
(Modified 1999.7.12)

Ludwig Albert graduated with distinctions at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Antwerp, Belgium and obtained a first prize for percussion with Prof.L.Cauberghs.
After his study as musician and pedagogue , he cooperated with several orchestra's and teached at the Conservatory and the State School for art in Antwerp.
In 1993 he specialised in solo-marimba and recieved with distinctions the Honours Diplome of solo-marimba (prof.L.Ouderits) and participated several International Masterclasses( R.von Sice , Michael Roosen...) In 1994 , he was the first Belgian marimbist admitted to the Toho Gakuen Music School in Japan and studied with the world-famous marimba-virtuoso Ms.Keiko Abe.
Afterwards he was invited to perform with her in Japan and Belgium.

Starting 1995 he searched for new sound-combinations and founded the duo marimba-soprano, nowadays called Patrasche , embellished with percussion . By this combination of singing and marimba , they developed a style of their own , performing own compositions (L.Albert), creations, arrangements of songs and improvisations based on International traditional folksongs. Their musical combination evokes a fascinating world. For their first album "Japanese Impressions" ( label Digi-classics) they recieved International outstanding critics by press and media and they were guest of several
special dedicated radio-broadcastings. During 1996-97 , they performed abroad and were invited to perform several concerts in Japan. Afterwards they performed succesfully the INternational Concert-production "Dialogue in Nature " with Keiko Abe.
Starting 2000 they will release new albums with mainly improvisations , creations and arrangements of Belgian and European folksongs.

Aside his various marimba-recitals he's working intensively to promote the marimba as a solo-concertinstrument and is organising several marimba-projects. During 1996 he recieved the Europalia Cultural award , which has given him the possibility to continue his collaboration with Keiko Abe.
Recently he founded the first Belgian Marimba Society with mainly the purpose to increase the knowledge of the marimba and to organise several events.

In recent Years , aside performing and composing , he's working intensively to commission new pieces by Belgian composers. During 1999-2000 he will produce several new CD-albums in different musical styles by the label Talent Records, also to introduce the marimba to a general audience.
-The Dancing Marimba (own classical arrangements May 99')
-Marimba Freeze (techno Jazz, new-age July 99')
-Marimba Paraphrases ( masterworks for solo&duo marimba dec.99')
He will also publish a serial of his compositions , arrangements and a marimba-methode .

During 1999-2000 he will perform aside solo-concerts several new
concert-production:
-Wooden Conversation (with Kamiya Momoko,Shinsuke Ishihara-Japan)
-Dialogue in Nature (with Keiko Abe)
-Marimba Sounds (new CD-collection)
-Japanese Impressions (trio Patrasche-Japanese folksongs)
-Clanck & Sanck (trio Patrache - Belgian folksongs and creations)
-Het Quamen drij Coninghen (Patrache - Christmas songs)
-concert for children (Patrasche)
(Added 1999.4.11)

Pius Cheung, as quoted by the legendary pianist Gary Graffman as "remarkably gifted ... elegant and virtuosic music-making", is a young rising marimba artist and composer. Pius' repertoire features largely compositions by himself, and arrangements of music by Bach and Chopin. Since age 10, he has appeared as a marimba soloist around the world including Canada, the United States, Russia, China, Australia, Holland and Mexico. Pius made his U. S. concerto debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra in 2003 at the Kimmel Center, and has appeared as a concerto soloist during the World Music Forum 1999 in Russia.

Recent performances include a concerto appearance with the British Columbia Chamber Orchestra performing Bach's Keyboard Concerto in d minor, BWV 1052, as well as concerts and masterclasses at the V Festival Internacional de Marimbistas in Mexico, and Zeltsman Marimba Festival 2005 and 2006, Amsterdam Conservatory, University of Michigan, Boston Conservatory and Boston University.

In 2006, Pius released his debut album of Bach's Complete Goldberg Variations, arranged for solo marimba by himself. The CD is currently on sale at Amazon, Steve Weiss Music, Brant Percussion, iTunes, Rhapsody.com and his own Pius Cheung Online Music Store.

As a composer, Pius has written numerous works for the marimba, including a set of five Musical Moments (Lust, Storm, Solitude, Dance of the Golden Mean, and Romance) for solo marimba, Marimba Concerto with String Orchestra, Sonata No. 1 "Vitanata", Etude in e minor, and Ballade for Eriko Daimo. His music is published by the Connecticut Hills Music Publishing Company and MPC Music Publishing.

Pius is a Yamaha Performing Artist and Vic Firth endorser. He received his Bachelor of Music from the Curtis Institute of Music, and his Artist Diploma from The Boston Conservatory.

For more information including full bio, repertoire, CD sound clips and upcoming performances, please visit www.piuscheung.com

Daniel Berg was born 1971 in Stockholm, Sweden. He graduated, May 2000, and received a soloist diploma from Musikhogskolan, (the University College of Music) in Gothenburg. With this Daniel is the first student in Sweden who has graduated with the marimba as a solo instrument. Previously he has studied at the Music Conservatory in Rotterdam, Holland, where he received a soloist diploma 1997. His main teachers during the studying years have been Anders Astrand, Einar Nielsen and Robert van Sice.

Today, Daniel is teaching the marimba in the University College of Music in Gothenburg, and is frequently invited to the Nordic Music Conservatories as a guest teacher.

In his passion to promote the marimba as a solo instrument, Daniel has worked intimately with a number of composers, mainly Swedish, who have written original music for the instrument. Earlier this year, he performed with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra and played for the first time a marimba-concerto composed by Anders Nilsson.

Daniel has made several recordings for the Swedish radio and television, and has recently finished the recording of a solo CD, which will be released in December 00.

Email: daniel.berg@hem.utfors.se (Added 2002.05.03)

Dr. Thom Hasenpflug is nationally recognized as a unique performer and educational voice, while his compositions for percussion receive international recognition and are played all over the world. Currently the Director of Percussion Studies (Associate Professor of Music) at Idaho State University , he has held prior teaching posts at Drake University, the University of South Dakota, Emporia State University, and the Tennessee Governor's School for the Arts.

Dr. Hasenpflug has presented performances, clinics and masterclasses at many universities, high schools, and festivals, for several Percussive Arts Society chapter Days of Percussion, and at the 2005 PAS International Convention. As a composer, he has been commissioned by some of the field

Actively playing around Japan as duo with Christopher Hurdy.　Teaching at Kunitachi music college.

<joby@newnoiselondon.com>
At only 25, Joby is already one of Britain's most diverse percussionists. He is a member of the internationally renowned percussion quartet Ensemble Bash (who have collaborated with artists including Joanna MacGregor, Django Bates, Steve Reich, Nitin Sawhney, Stewart Copeland, Hilliard Ensemble and the Pan African Orchestra), the new music group Ixion, the drum n bass influenced Couptone and a co-founder of new noise.

The unique ensemble new noise was born late in 1999, and comprises the 'beautiful sounds and effortless pyrotechnics' of oboist Janey Miller, with the 'dramatically explosive and virtousic playing' of Joby. New Noise are currently ensemble in residence with the Goldsmiths University Electronic Music Studios, artists for 'Live Music Now!' and have performed at festivals including; 'Rhythmsticks, at the South Bank Centre', 'Hoxton New Music Days', 'Warwick and Leamington', 'Chichester Festivities' and the BMIC's 'Cutting Edge Series/Tour 2001'.

Joby also performs and records with ensembles and artists including; London Sinfonietta, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Endymion Ensemble, Composers Ensemble, Sculpted Sound, Sinfonia 21, ECAT Ensemble, Sarah Leonard, John Kenny, Robert Tear, National Theatre Ensemble and The Ministry of Sound.

As a soloist Joby has made several broadcasts for BBC radio, and given performances at the Purcell Room and the Wigmore Hall, London. Joby's next major solo project is the premiere of a specially commissioned percussion concerto, at the Queen's Hall, Edinburgh in May 2003.

As an educator Joby currently teaches at Radley College Oxford - previously Bedfordshire County Music Service (1998-2002). Joby has also lectured at Dartington International Summer School, been heavily involved with the Wigmore Hall's education department, and adjudicated for the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition.

For more information on Joby's future activities visit www.newnoiselondon.com and www.ensemblebash.com


'Against a backdrop of taped fuzz and Latin American effects, and with a sense of dramatic ritual, Burgess improvised rhythms one would not have thought possible on the grain-filled lollipops (maracas)' Evening Standard

'Joby demonstrated his versatility as he switched deftly between hand percussion and stick work, creating wonderful dynamics with a wealth of expression. My Imagination has truly been ignited' Rhythm Magazine

'Percussionist Joby Burgess preyed on the tam-tams and vibes like a panther at bay - for my money, a star in the making' The Scotsman (Added 2002.2.16, Modified 2003.1.11)