Kai Stensgaard was among the first Scandinavian musicians to approach the marimba as a serious solo instrument. Throughout the last 15 years he has toured extensively and given more than 3.000 concerts, masterclasses and clinics in various venues in Northern Europa, Mexico, Puerto Rico, U.S.A. and Japan along with numerous radio and television broadcasts. He was recognized in 1989 as the first recipient of the North Jutland Music Award. He has produced several CDs displaying the marimba's myriad of textures. Kai Stensgaard is a specialist on six mallets playing, he did several compositions and arrangements for six mallets. In 2005 he published his new concerto for marimba & Symphony Orchestra "Concierto Mexicano". The concerto is performed with 2, 4 and 6 mallets (optional 4 mallets) For more informations go to www.marimba.dk (added 2000.11.6)

Renowned for his "one-handed rolls," his complete mastery of mallet independence, his numerous textural sustaining techniques and his use of birch-handle mallets, Leigh Howard Stevens was born in Orange, New Jersey, U.S.A, March 9, 1953. He attended the Eastman School of Music 1971-1975, and graduated with academic honours and was awarded the degree of Bachelor of Music.Subsequently, he travelled to Auckland, New Zealand in the 1972 for advanced studies with Vida Chenoweth, with whom he obtained additional coaching in 1975.

From 1975 to 1978, he taught percussion at Nazareth College of Rochester while writing Method of Movement for Marimba, a book which details some aspects of his unique system of four-mallet technique and which is now a standard text in many college percussion programs. This book has been translated into four languages.

In 1976, he performed at the first Percussive Arts Society International Convention , where he introduced to percussionists from around the world his one-handed rolls, birch handled "slap-less" mallets, rotary stroke types, "Stevens grip" and other "revolutionary" techniques that are now accepted as "standard" in many parts of the world.

In addition to performing exclusively on an extended-range Malletech Marimba of his own design, he serves as a consultant and conducts educational masterclasses for Malletech (He has been awarded four U. S. Patents for marimba design).

Mr. Stevens is a Professor of Marimba of the Royal Academy of Music, London since 1997. (Modified 2001.5.30)

Gordon Stout is one of the most prominant marimbist of our time and also known as the composer of Two Mexican Dances. Numerous published compositions (Keyboard Percussion Publications, www.gordonstout.net) are present. He is a professor, percussion; chair, Department of Performance Studies at the School of Music of Ithca College. As a Lecturer-recitalist, Percussive Arts Society, he appearing at international conventions.

He studied with James Salmon, John Beck, percussion; Samuel Adler, Warren Benson, composition. He has M.M., B.M., performer's certificate, Eastman School of Music.

Formerly, faculty, St. Mary's College in Maryland; music director, Tidewater Music Festival. Also, he is a founding member, Eastman Marimba Band; member, Wilder Duo, with Bob Levy, trumpet.

Numerous recordings for Studio 4, Mercury Golden Imports, Crystal Records, Golden Crest Records, including solo albums, and with Brian Bowman, David Craighead, Eastman Marimba Band, Michael Burritt. gstout@ithaca.edu
. (Added 1997.6.12, Updated 1999.4.14)

A pupil of Keiko Abe, Akiko SUZUKI has an excellent trancking record as a marimba teacher. Her students includes Junko Sakimura, Mie Saito and Nanae Mimura. She lives in Kunitachi, Tokyo. (Modified 1999.2.6)

Praised by the New York Times for his ?understated but unmistakable virtuosity? along
with a ?winning combination of gentleness and fluidity,? Svet Stoyanov is Professor and Director
of Percussion at the Frost School of Music, University of Miami.
Mr. Stoyanov is a winner of the Concert Artists Guild International Competition in New
York City. This is also where he made his debut at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall as a cosoloist,
premiering the Phillip Glass Concerto Fantasy for Two Timpanists and Orchestra. Svet
Stoyanov has performed as a soloist with the Chicago, Seattle, American and Annapolis
Symphony Orchestras, as well as the Bulgarian Radio Orchestra, to name a few. Highlights in his
festival appearances include the The Ravinia Festival, Emilia Romagna, Made in America,
Arizona Friends of Chamber Music, River to River Festival, Look and Listen, PAS International
Conventions. Solo performances include Carnegie Hall?s Isaac Stern Auditorium and Weill Hall,
Merkin Hall, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Benaroya Hall, Orange County Performing Arts
Center, Avery Fisher Hall, and The Kennedy Center.
Svet Stoyanov?s debut CD ?Percussive Counterpoint? was released in 2009 to great
acclaim from both composers featured on the disk as well as music critics. It has been aired on the
radio throughout the USA, as well as abroad. Featured works include a transcription of Steve
Reich?s Electric Counterpoint, a new recording of Alejandro Vi?ao's Khan Variations, Eric
Sammut's Four Rotations and a video performance of Thierry de Mey?s Musique de Tables - a
theatrical work ?Ballet? for 3 sets of hands (enhanced CD feature).
A strong advocate for new music, Svet Stoyanov has commissioned and premiered dozens
of works. Some upcoming projects include Six Songs of E.E. Cummings for soprano and marimba
by Robert Xavier Rodriguez, Prelude; Invention; Suspension for saxophone quartet, percussion,
double bass and drumset by Gary Lindsey, percussion duo work by Martin Bresnick, two piano/
two percussion piece by Mark Dancigers, as well as a vibraphone solo work by Bruce Adolphe.
A passionate educator, Svet Stoyanov has presented numerous clinics throughout Europe
and USA. Most recently he was invited to join the faculty of International Katarzyna Mycka
Marimba Academy (2009) in Frankfurt, and has been featured as an associate faculty member at
the Nancy Zeltsman's Marimba Festival (2007).
Mr. Stoyanov chooses the quality of Pearl/Adams Percussion Instruments, Vic Firth mallets
and sticks, as well as Remo drumheads.

Naoko Takada:A student of Akiko Suzuki, Karen Ervin-Pershing, and Gordon Stout. Her duet group "Chris & Naoko" was one of the finalists in PASIC Duet Competition 99. She is currently pursuing master degree of percussion performance in Ithaca College of Music where she teaches Percussion Class. (Added 2000.2.11)

Born from a solid friendship and a common vision of music, Tchiki Duo unites two percusionnists with the same wish to transcend themselves.
They are exploring a catalogue of virtuosity stamped with an organic temperament.

The duo offers a music full of energy and a rythmical concert thanks to two stage techniciens integrated to the play.
Born of a classical channel, Tchiki Duo take up a challenge to be more than a concert, a full-sight spectacle

Timberline Players is a flute/percussion duo located in Colorado Springs, CO. Please check out our latest CD titled Colors of Christmas featuring unique arrangements for marimba, flute, cello, bass, and percussion.

Founding member of the Manhattan Marimba Quartet. Premiered marimba works by Babbitt, Kupferman, Torke, Ichinaga, Ishii. Performed and recorded with Steve Reich, Philip Glass, PULSE Percussion Ensemble. Degrees from Manhattan School of Music. Faculty at Manhattan School of Music - Prep Division, The College of New Jersey, Rowan University.(Added 1999.7.11)

Although known primarily as a marimbist, Blake TYSON is committed to the creation and performance of new music for all types of percussion by commissioning, composing, and premiering new works. Currently on the faculty of the University of Central
Arkansas, he believes that teaching is an important aspect of being a creative musician. For him, teaching is not only a way to share knowledge and experience, but also to create excitement for the percussive arts in a new generation of musicians. His clinics, masterclasses and performances have been received enthusiastically both in the United States and internationally.

Blake Tyson received DMA degree from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. The faculty of the Eastman School also awarded Tyson the prestigious Performer's Certificate. He received the Master of Music degree from Kent State University in Kent, Ohio, and a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Alabama. His teachers include John Beck, Michael Burritt, Larry Mathis, and Peggy Benkeser. He has also studied derabucca with Halim El-Dabh and has devoted intensive study to El-Dabh's unique notational system for the instrument.

Blake Tyson has given recitals as both a solo and chamber artist throughout the United States. He has performed and taught in Ecuador as a guest of the National Conservatory. Recently, he visited Egypt where he performed at the Ministry of Culture in Cairo and as a soloist with the Orchestra de Biblioteca Alexandrina in Alexandria. He has performed as a percussionist with many orchestras throughout the United States, and is currently Principal Percussionist with the Conway Symphony. He has also performed at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention, the Northwest Percussion Festival, the Leigh Howard Stevens Summer Marimba Seminar, and has presented clinics and masterclasses at colleges and universities throughout the country. His solo marimba work Anubis will soon be published by Keyboard Percussion Publications.

Blake Tyson is a recital artist and clinician for Malletech marimbas, Zildjian cymbals, and Malletech and Zildjian sticks and mallets (Added 2002.8.31)