News and Events

CONGRATULATIONS TO:  Colin Hartnett and Mike Kemp for being finalists in the Reading Symphony principal timpani audition.

CONGRATULATIONS TO:  Kevin Watkins (Minnesota Orchestra) for making finals in the Cleveland Orchestra section percussion audition.
 
CONGRATULATIONS TO:  Alison Chorn (Fort Wayne Philharmonic) and Joel Panian (Jacksonville Symphony) for making semi finals in the Cleveland Orchestra section percussion audition.
 
CONGRATULATIONS TO:  Colin Hartnett who is a finalist in the Grant Park Music Festival principal timpani audition and will have a trial with the orchestra this summer.
 
CONGRATULATIONS TO:  Julia Ross for being accepted to Aspen Music Festival.

CONGRATULATIONS TO:  Bobby Conselatore for being accepted to Aspen Music Festival.
 
CONGRATULATIONS TO: Wanlu Ma for being accepted to Aspen Music Festival.
 
CONGRATULATIONS TO: Michael Lamattina (principal percussion, Dayton Philharmonic) for making semi finals in the National Symphony principal percussion auditions.
                                   
CONGRATULATIONS TO: Chris McLaurin for making finals in the National Symphony principal percussion auditions.
 
CONGRATULATIONS TO: Colin Hartnett for being runner up in the NYC Opera principal timpani auditions.
 
CONGRATULATIONS TO:  Alison Chorn (section percussion, Fort Wayne Philharmonic) for making semi finals in the Cincinnatti Symphony percussion auditions.
 
CONGRATULATIONS TO:  Joel Panian (section percussion Jacksonville Symphony) for making semi finals in the Cincinnatti Symphony percussion auditions.
 
CONGRATULATIONS TO:  Ben Kipp for making finals in the US Navy Band percussion auditions.

CONGRATULATIONS TO:  Colin Hartnett for making finals in the Michigan Opera Theater principal timpani auditions.
 
CONGRATULATIONS TO:  Jay Ganser for being winner of the principal percussion position with the Mansfield Symphony.
 
CONGRATULATIONS TO:  Ariel Zaviezo for being the winner of the principal timpani position with the Mansfield Symphony.  
 
CONGRATULATIONS TO: Kevin Watkins (section percussion Minnesota Orchestra) for making finals in the Cleveland Orchestra principal percussion auditions.
 
CONGRATULATIONS TO:  Aaron Macdonald (principal timpanist, Vancouver Symphony) for making finals in the MET Opera principal timpani auditions.    
                     
CONGRATULATIONS TO:  Joel Panian (section percussion, Jacksonville Symphony) for making finals in the Detroit Symphony section percussion auditions.

CONGRATULATIONS TO: Andrew Boynton for becoming music director of The Salvation Army of Greater Manhattan

CONGRATULATIONS TO: Colin Hartnett for making semi finals in the Montreal Symphony percussion/assistant principal timpani audition.

CONGRATULATIONS TO: Alison Chorn for winning the section percussion audition with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic.

CONGRATULATIONS TO: Billy Kaufman for advancing to finals in the United States Army Field Band section percussion audition.

CONGRATULATIONS TO: Andrew Boynton for making semi finals in the Utah symphony assistant timpani/section percussion audition.

CONGRATULATIONS TO: Andrew Boynton for making semi finals for Erie Philharmonic Principal Timpani audition.

CONGRATULATIONS TO: Andrew Boynton for making finals for Albany Symphony Principal Timpani audition.

CONGRATULATIONS TO: Andrew Boynton for making finals for Detroit Symphony Principal Timpani audition.

CONGRATULATIONS TO: Colin Hartnett for making finals/runner up in the Royal Swedish Opera co principal timpani audition.

CONGRATULATIONS TO: Colin Hartnett for making finals in the Erie Philharmonic principal timpani audition.

CONGRATULATIONS TO - Aaron McDonald for advancing to finals and being runner up in the MET Principal Timpani audition.

CONGRATULATIONS TO - Alison Chorn who will be going to Aspen Music Festival and received the Charles Owen fellowship award.

CONGRATULATIONS TO - Billy Kaufman who will be attending Texas Music Festival this summer.

CONGRATULATIONS TO - Kelsey Lamb who will be attending Texas Music Festival this summer.

CONGRATULATIONS TO - Theo Kalaitzis who will be attending Lorin Maazel's Castleton Festival this summer.

CONGRATULATIONS TO - Andrew Boynton for advancing to semi finals in the Utah Symphony Associate Principal Timpani/ Section Percussion audition.

CONGRATULATIONS TO - Andrew Boynton for advancing to semi finals in the Baltimore Symphony Principal Timpani audition.

CONGRATULATIONS TO - Andrew Boynton for advancing to semi finals in the Detroit Symphony Principal timpani audition.

CONGRATULATIONS TO - Colin Hartnett for advancing to super finals in the Chicago Symphony Principal Timpani audition.

CONGRATULATIONS TO - Colin Hartnett and Seth Bagwell in finals in the Chicago Symphony Principal Timpani audition.

CONGRATULATIONS TO - Gard Garshol (CSU alum from Bergen Philharmonic), Dario Osorio and Andrew Boynton for advancing to semi finals in the Toronto Symphony Section Percussion/Assistant Principal Timpani auditions. Special congratulations to Andrew Boynton for being one of only two finalists who will receive orchestra trials over the next few months!

CONGRATULATIONS TO - Alison Chorn, Kelsey Lamb and Andrew Boynton for winning ALL available positions with the Mansfield Symphony. Alison Chorn principal percussion, Kelsey Lamb section percussion and Andrew Boynton Principal Timpani.

CONGRATULATIONS to Joel Panian for being appointed to section percussion with the Jacksonville Symphony!

CONGRATULATIONS TO - Feza Zweifel who just won the principal timpani audition in the Canadian Arts Center Orchestra of Ottawa.

CONGRATULATIONS TO - Colin Hartnett who just won principal timpani in Chattanooga Symphony.

CONGRATULATIONS TO - Colin Hartnett, Seth Bagwell and Aaron Macdonald for advancing to semi finals in the Chicago Symphony Principal Timpani audition. Special congratulations to Colin Hartnett for making finals!

Congratulations to Mike Laubach for winning the principal timpani audition with the Virginia Symphony!

Congratulations to Colin Hartnett for advancing to semi finals in the Virginia Symphony principal timpani audition.

Congratulations to Joel Panian for winning one of the section percussion positions with the West Virginia Symphony.

Congratulations to Joel Panian and Colin Hartnett for both making finals in the Montreal Symphony assistant principal timpani and section percussion audition. Extra congratulations to Joel for being the only person in super finals.

Congratulations to Alison Chorn for being accepted to Music Academy of the West.

Congratulations to Mike Laubach for advancing to finals in the NAC Ottawa principal timpani audition.

Congratulations to Andrew Boynton for advancing to semi finals in the Chicago Civic principal timpani audition.

Congratulations to sophomore Alison Chorn for winning the CSU concerto competition!

Congratulations to Sergio Carreno for winning the section percussion assistant principal timpani audition with the Oregon Symphony.

Congratulations to Joel Panian for advancing to finals (Runner Up) in the Jacksonville Symphony Principal Percussion Audition and for advancing to semi finals in the Oregon Symphony Audition.

Congratulations to Jon Greeney for winning the principal timpani position with the Oregon Symphony.

Congratulations to Jon Greeney and Feza Zweifel for both being finalists in the Dallas Symphony principal timpani audition.

Congratulations to Aaron Williams for winning the principal percussion positions with both the Des Moines Symphony as well as the Quad City Symphony.

Congratulations to Allison Bent for advancing to semis in the Winnipeg Symphony national auditions for principal timpani.

Congratulations to Brittany Hoffman and Mike Laubach for advancing to semi finals in the Winnipeg Symphony international auditions for principal timpani.

Congratulations to Jon Greeney for advancing to semi finals in the Gothenberg Symphony percussion/assistant principal timpani audition (Sweden).

Congratulations to Jordan Wirth for advancing to semi finals in the Gothenberg Symphony percussion/assistant principal timpani audition (Sweden).

Congratulations to Brian Flescher for winning the principal timpani position with the New World Symphony.

Congratulations to Matt Bassett for winning the Buffalo Philharmonic principal timpani audition. We will miss Matt very much around here but are extremely happy for him!

Congratulations to Jon Greeney for making finals in the Syracuse Symphony percussion/assistant principal timpani audition.

Congratulations to Rob Knopper for being runner up in the New World Symphony section percussion audition.

Congratulations to Jordan Wirth for receiving a full time section percussion contract with the Toledo Symphony.

Congratulations to Leonardo Soto (private student and honorary department member after 3 years of study) for winning the Charlotte Symphony principal timpani audition! Congratulations also to Jon Greeney (runner up) and Matt Grubbs (MM CSU 2007) for making semi finals.

Congratulations to Matthew Bassett (MM CSU) for being one of two finalists left standing in the Buffalo Philharmonic principal timpani audition.  Live orchestra round TBA soon.

Congratulations to Jordan Wirth (MM CSU 2009) for advancing to semis finals in the Kansas City Symphony section percussion audition.

Congratulations to Jon Greeney  (MM CSU 2010) one of the few DVD's invited to audition for the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra principal timpani audition.  First live rounds at the end of May.

Congratulations to Steve Logan (CSU Freshman) for winning the mock timpani audition last week at the PAS international convention in Austin!

Congratulations to Jordan Wirth (MM CSU 2009) for making semi finals in the San Diego Symphony Principal Percussion audition.

Congratulations to Aaron Williams (MM CSU 2009) for winning the Principal Percussion position with the Mansfield Symphony.

Congratulations to Luke Swearingen (MM CSU 2008) for winning the Section Percussion and Assistant Principal Timpani position with the Wichita Symphony...AND...the Section Percussion position with the Canton Symphony.

Congratulations to Mike Laubach for being runner up in the Chattanooga Symphony Principal Timpani audition.

Congratulations to Jordan Wirth (MM CSU 2009) for being a finalist in the Fort Wayne Philharmonic percussion auditions.

NEW WORLD SYMPHONY PERCUSSION AUDITIONS RESULTS FOR CURRENT CSU STUDENTS. ADVANCING TO SEMI FINALS WERE:

Jordan Wirth, Matt Grubbs, David Bergman and Aaron Williams with Jordan Wirth advancing on to finals.

Pittsburgh Symphony percussion auditions results for current and former CSU percussion students.

Advancing to the semi finals were:

• Jordan Wirth
• Matt Grubbs
• Mark Libby (principal percussion Alabama Symphony)
• Michael Lamattina (principal percussion Dayton Philharmonic)
• John Martinich (percussion U. S. Navy Band)
• Chris McLaurin (principal percussion Kansas City Symphony)

Congratulations to all of these guys for making a great showing and especially to Chris McLaurin for advancing on to finals.  

Congratulations to Aaron Macdonald for winning the principal timpani position with the Vancouver Symphony.

Former CSU student Mike Werner (section percussion Metropolitan Opera) is one of two finalists for the principal percussion position with the Seattle Symphony. Mike will return to Seattle in June for a week-long trial with the orchestra

CSU graduate Dave Salay has just won a section percussion position with the Louisiana Philharmonic.

CSU students Matt Grubbs and Mike Laubach were both semi-finalists at the San Diego Symphony Principal Timpani auditions

CSU students Aaron Williams, Matt Grubbs, David Bergman and Zack Frank are four out of five people invited to the second round of auditions for the West Point Military Academy Band. Next round is June 9th

CSU student Matt Grubbs was a finalist in the San Antonio Symphony Principal Percussion/Assistant Principal Timpani audition. Special congratulations to Tom Freer's privat students Ya Chi Cheng (University of Michigan) for winning the audition and Paticio Henandez (Chile) for making semi-finals in his first U.S. audition ever!!

Patrick Schleker has been appointed Principal Timpanist of the Cincinnati Symphony.

Eric Garcia has been appointed Section Percussion with the West Point Military Academy Band.

Aaron MacDonald has been appointed Principal Timpanist with the Vancouver Symphony.

Christopher McLaurin has been appointed Principal Percussionist of the Kansas City Symphony.

Jordon Wirth, percussion graduate student, was named Principal Percussionist of the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra.

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Past CSU percussion students hold positions as music educators, arts administrators, and in major orchestras and ensembles around the world, including:

• Buffalo Philharmonic
• Metropolitan Opera Orchestra
• Minnesota Orchestra
• Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
• San Francisco Opera Orchestra
• Air Force Band of Flight

The CSU Percussion Department has a lot to offer serious students of percussion. Explore this site to learn about our program and feel free to contact a Member of the Percussion Faculty with further questions.