Michael Udow is principal percussionist with the Santa Fe Opera (1968-present) and has directed the percussion program at the University of Michigan since 1982. Aside from his work with the dance/percussion duo Equilibrium, Udow performs extensively with Keiko Abe and is a member of Summit Brass. This season, Udow has performed at the Banff Centre, at the World Marimba Festival in Osaka-Swita, Japan, and a two-week Summit Brass tour in Austria and Germany. Udow composed the music to Token City, the multi-award-winning 3-D Animated Video and Installation by Muriel Magenta. His "Shattered Mirror Suite" was premiered by George Manahan and the Richmond Symphony Orchestra. His percussion teachers have included Alan Abel, Russell Hartenberger, Robert Lee, Jack McKenzie, Michael Ranta and Thomas Siwe. His composition teachers have included Warren Benson, Herbert Brun, Thomas Frederickson, Edwin London, Paul Steg and Thomas Whirtel.

JAMES WALKER has received degrees in percussion performance from Ithaca College (BM) and Northern Illinois University (MM, Performer's Certificate), and his primary teachers have included Gordon Stout and Bill Molenhof. He recently taught in the percussion department at Northern Illinois University near Chicago, and has also taught at Ithaca College. He has presented clinics at numerous colleges and universities around the United States. James specializes in jazz composition and performance (on vibraphone, marimba, and mallet synthesizer), and is a founding member of the Vokes-Walker Duo, a classical ensemble performing works for marimba and soprano. James has recently teamed with percussionist Mark Mahoney, forming an ensemble dedicated to exploring electronic mallet percussion. James has written for Percussive Notes, and he also authored the "Expressive Jazz Techniques" column for Jazz Player Magazine. His debut CD, "Rhyme or Reason," was released in November 2000, and has received radio airplay on jazz stations around the world. James endorses Mike Balter mallets, and the Xylosynth by Wernick Instruments. He currently resides in Connecticut (US), roughly an hour from New York City. (Added 2000.2.11, Modified 2001.5.30, Modified 2002.10.23)

Wherever he performs Andrew excites and enchants with his expressive intimacy, dazzlingly virtuosity and zestful playing. Known for his interpretation of major works as much as for popular jazz standards, Andrew's varied programmes mix attractive new compositions with fresh, innovative arrangements of time-honoured classics.

A feature of Andrew's communicative performances are his stimulating and informative introductions to both pieces and instruments, opening up an intriguing and fascinating world to the listener. The visual drama is unequalled by any other instrument whilst the aural dimension is haunting, beautiful, rich and captivating.

Andrew's solo playing has delighted music lovers from Edinburgh to Portsmouth, from the local Village Hall to Manchester's Bridgewater Hall and Birmingham's Symphony Hall, and from the West End of London to Moscow and China. He has entertained audiences of Ambassadors, thrilled children with special needs and inspired students at major Universities, Colleges and Conservatoires.

Playing for leading orchestras and ensembles at home and abroad, he has appeared many times on national Radio & TV. He has performed in the BBC Proms, and the Edinburgh, Cheltenham, Huddersfield and Salzburg festivals. Arts Council sponsored tours have given opportunities to perform in several world premieres, whilst overseas he has toured in Austria, The Czech Republic, Faeroe Islands, France, Norway, and Sweden. (Added 1999.5.10)

Tracy Wiggins is coordinator of the percussion program and marching band director at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke. He is also a candidate for the Doctor of Musical Arts degree at The HARTT School, University of Hartford. Mr. Wiggins holds a Masters Degree in Percussion Performance from the University of New Mexico and a Bachelors Degree in Music Education from Oklahoma State University. He has done post-masters work at The Ohio State University.

Mr. Wiggins varied musical interests are reflected in his performance credits, highlights of which include: orchestral work with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, The Fayetteville Symphony, The New Mexico Symphony Orchestra, the Waterbury (CT) Symphony, the New Britain (CT) Symphony, the Westerville (Ohio) Civic Symphony and as principal percussionist for the Santa Fe Symphony; solo appearances at the University of New Mexico's Composers Symposium, Oklahoma State University, Samford University, The Hartt School, Western Connecticut State University, The University of Alabama-Birmingham, and The Ohio State University; percussion and drumset work for "Cathy Rigby is Peter Pan" and the touring Broadway musical "Ragtime

A composer and a marimba player. Studied marimba under Keiko Abe and the composition under Akira Miyoshi. Winner of the 1980 PAS International Composition Competition. ALM Records publishes his CDs and Zen-on publishes his music.
(Modified 2002.7.20)

Sylvie Zakarian was born in Varna, Bulgaria, to Armenian parents in 1971. At the age of four, she began to study music and piano. She joined the Secondary Music School in Varna, choosing percussion as an exciting direction to broaden her musical range. During her nine years there, she won three first prizes at national and international competitions and performed in many concerts and solo recitals.



Ms. Zakarian's interest in contemporary music for solo percussion and modern chamber groups springs from an early age. In 1989, after winning first prize in the

Nancy Zeltsman is one of the most well known femail marimbists in the States. She is a member of unique duo with marimba and violin, Marimolin. She is now woking on new marimba duo and just held their debut reciatal in Boston. She is marimba instructor at the Berklee College of Music and Boston Conservatory. Graduate of New England Conservatory.
(Added 1997.6.12)

Nebojsa Jovan Zivkovic (Neboysha Yovan Chivkovich b.1962) is undoubtedly one of the most eminent and most interesting marimba and percussion soloists currently working in Europe, not least because of his captivating performance and powerful emotional expression, which make his concerts an outstanding experience. His consistent duality, his untiring work - both as composer and performer - account for his unique artistic personality.
Zivkovic completed his master's degrees in composition, music theory and percussion in Germany. His concert tours have taken him through Germany, Austria, Belgium, Poland, the Netherlands, Yugoslavia, Greece, Czechia and repeatedly to the USA.
Contemporary music is an important part of Zivkovic's repertoire, and many composers have written works dedicated to him. His own music can best be described as