Junko Sakimura started studying Marimba with Akiko Suzuki at the age of 7. She subsequently graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Tokyo (percussion). Her teachers includes Tomoko Kusakari, Shin'ichi Ueno, Tomoyuki Okada. Studied Cimbalom with Yasuko Kano.

Main Performing Activity

* Cimbalom
o Kurtag ...concertante...(Japanese premiere) with Gert Albrecht (conductor) and Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra at the Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall (2004) [Tokyo, Japan]
o Seventh World Cimbalom Congress (2003) [Appenzell, Switzerland]
o Kurtag: ...quasi una fantasia... with Christian Armink (conductor) and the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra at the Suntory Hall. (2003) [Tokyo, Japan]
o Kodaly: Hary Janos with Laurence Foster (conductor) and the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra at the Suntory Hall, Tokyo. (2002) [Tokyo, Japan]
o Dutilleux "L'arbre des Songes " by Tokyo Philharmony Orchestra at the Suntory Hall and the Orchard Hall (2001) [Tokyo, Japan]
o Andriesen: De Stijl with Tatsunori Numajiri (conductor) and Tokyo Symphony Orchestra at Tokyo Operacity Concert Hall (2000) [Tokyo, Japan]
o Kodaly: Hary Janos with Kotaro Sato (conductor) and Kanagawa Philharmony Orchestra. This concert was televised throughout Japan by NHK TV. (1999) [Yokohama, Japan]
o Kodaly: Hary Janos with Masahiro Izaki (conductor) and Tochigiken Symphony Orchestra [Ibaraki, Japan]
o Third World Cimbalom Congress (1995)[Bratislava, Slovakia]
+ as the Japanese delegate and reported on Pravda.
o Suntory Summer Special
+ <Music of the 20th Century> (1991) [Suntory Hall, Tokyo, Japan]
o Cimbalom Joint Recital（1990）[Ongaku no Tomo Hall, Tokyo, Japan]

* Marimba
o NHK FM Recital (1989)
o Marimba Trio with Tokyo Symphony Orchestra (1990) [Orchard Hall, Tokyo]
o Radio Western International FM Recital (1993) [Canada]
o Recital: <Marimba Alive! > (1994) [von Kuster Hall, London, Canada]
o Cross Culture '94 (1994) [Eolian Hall, London, Canada]
o Recital: <Marimba Alive! 2> (1997.7.5) Kunitachi Geijutu Sho Hall, Tokyo]
o Recital: <Marimba Alive! 3> (1997.12.27) [Kunitachi Geijutu Sho Hall, Tokyo]

* Piano
o Suntory Summer Special
+ <Music of the 20th Century>（1991) [Suntory Hall]

Emmanuel S

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)

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)

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)

She-e Wu began her musical studies at the age of four in her home town of Tainan, Taiwan where she studied piano. Later, she studied percussion with Ya-wen Lien and Tzong-Ching Ju. As a young musician, She-e performed timpani and percussion in numerous concerts throughout Taiwan. In 1991 she came to the United States to continue her musical education. She now holds Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from the University of North Texas where she studied with Dr. Robert Schietroma and Ed Soph. She has also studied with marimba soloist Leigh Howard Stevens.

In 1995 Ms. Wu entered the first Leigh Howard Stevens International Marimba Competition. Despite being the youngest player in the finals, she won third prize, competing against 62 players from 23 countries. In 1996 She-e was invited to perform on the radio broadcast final concert of the World Marimba Competition in Stuttgart, Germany. She is also a featured concert artist at the 1999 National Percussion Convention of Spain in Seville.

She-e Wu has taught and performed at the University of North Texas and at the Leigh Howard Stevens Summer Marimba Seminar. She has been the featured soloist with the Tempus Fugit Percussion Ensemble and performed as guest recitalist and clinician at numerous schools of music throughout the United States. She-e has also performed at the Hawaiian Music Educators Association Convention and is a member of the Bob Becker Ensemble in Toronto, Canada. Ms. Wu was an Assistant Professor of Music at West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia in 1997-1998. She is currently a faculty member at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. She is also a marimba artist and clinician for Malletech. (Added 1999.4.11)

Peter Sadlo has been hailed by critics as one of the greatest percussionist of the century.
He began to learn to play when only 5 and started to study at the age of twelve. His exceptional talent has always been recognised by his teachers. The most eminent of these was Siegfried Fink, in whose master classes in W・zburg Sadlo obtained his diploma. But his playing of the timpani is particularly marked by the influence of Sergiu Celibidache.
Sadlo won many of the chief percussion prizes while a student, including the prestigious first prizes at the Geneva Competition and ARD Competition in Munich. He has been far more successful than anyone else in his field. He has received many accolades, but his versatile talent is most clearly proved by the number and variety of the engagements he has been asked to take on.
He was the solo percussionist of the Munich Philharmonic and a teacher and also directs professional chamber groups. Hardly surprising, he is a popular guest performer at music festivals and with various distinguished orchestras. His musical flair is unerring and his dexterity on all kinds of instruments quite dazzling. These have earned him great acclaim from the general public and the critics, and he is now in great demand throughout the world.
Peter Sadlo has an exclusive contract with Koch Schwann. For this CD Percussion in Concert he has been awarded the Echo Prize 1998. Deutsche Grammophon released the Bartok Sonata for two pianos and percussion with Martha Argerich, Nelson Freire and Edgar Guggeis.

Entered Kunitachi College of Music in 1988. Received scholarship from "Yasuda Seimei - Quality of Life Zaidan". On graduation, she received prestigeous "Takeoka Prize". Received Masters degree from the College in 1994.
She studied percussion with Tomoyuki Okada, marimba with Junko Shibata and Akiko Suzuki, Timpani with Peter Sonderman.
Received "Award of Excellence" at the 8th Percussion Rookie's Concert. Received the Gran Prix on the 10th Nihon Kan-dagakki Concours (Japan Brass and Percussion Competition) Percussion division. Gave concerts in Berlin, Sofia, Taipei, Seoul, Denmark etc. as a member of the "Percussion Ensemble OKADA of Japan".
In 1994, she gave the "Saito Mie Percussion Recital - Sound Pazzle -", and subsequently, "Saito Mie Marimba Concert - Wind from the Galia - ", etc. Also appeared in "Marimba Alive! vol.3" with Junko Sakimura.
Currently, actively playing as a solo marimbist as well as an ensemble member in chamber music and orchestra. Member of the Miracle Percussion Ensemble. (Last Modified 1998.5.6)

This Danish duo are not only for marimba but also all ground percussion. Uffe Savery and Morten Friis, they can perform Marimba Spritual just by themselves...2 people! It is called Marimaba Spritual 2 and recorded on their CD. Mostly they transcribe piano music by Bach, Chopin or Ravel for 2 marimbas. Safri version of Alborada del gracioso by Ravel is published from Studio 4 Production, and available their CDs in stores in Japan. (Added 1997.6.12)

Mark Shelton is a freelance percussionist living in the Dallas, TX area. He performs on the marimba as part of his solo percussion program for students. Mark is on the Young Audiences rosters in Dallas, Houston, and Beaumont, Texas. Before moving to Texas, Mark served as Visiting Artist at Wayne Community College in North Carolina.
In addition to his work as a soloist, he leads the New Acoustic / World Music ensemble, Tin Roof Tango, and is percussionist with the Calvary Temple of Irving Celebration Orchestra. (Added 1999.2.6)