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Barry Centanni
Visiting Specialist
Percussion (Program Coordinator)
973-655-7212
bcentanni@aol.com

Percussionist Barry Centanni attended Montclair State University before earning degrees in performance from the Manhattan School of Music and Juilliard He is the principal percussionist with the Orchestra of St. Luke's and performs with many other orchestras including the New York Pops, Connecticut Grand Opera and New Jersey State Opera. His television credits include Live from Madison Square Garden, Live from Lincoln Center, the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra and the Orchestra of St. Luke's performing with Frederica Von Stade and Kathleen Battle. As a freelance percussionist, he has performed with Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Sting, Whitney Houston, James Taylor, and Elton John. He has taught at SUNY Purchase, the Mannes College of Music, Columbia Teachers College and the Montclair Kimberley Academy.

Steve Johns
Visiting Specialist
Percussion
Jazz Drum Set
973-655-7212
sjohns2001@aol.com
Steve Johns - Website

Visiting percussion specialist Steve Johns studied with master drummers Alan Dawson and Bob Gullotti and attended the New England Conservatory of Music, where he studied classical percussion with Fred Buda and Vic Firth. He moved to New York in 1982. He has worked, recorded and collaborated with Donald Byrd, Nat Adderley, Eddie Henderson, the Count Basie Orchestra under Frank Foster, the Vanguard Orchestra, Toshiko Akiyoshi/Lew Tabakin Big Band, Benny Carter, Phil Woods, Illinois Jacquet, Michael Brecker, Stanley Turentine, Slide Hampton, Kenny Burrell, and many others. Steve was the drummer for NPR's Billy Taylor's Jazz at The Kennedy Center in which he recorded 75 shows with guest including Wynton Marsalis, Nancy Wilson, Joe Lavano, Arturo Sandoval, Ray Barreto, Milt Jackson, Jon Faddis, Randy Brecker, Grover Washngon, Gary Burton, and Harry Sweet Edison. Mr. Johns's recordings include Ceremony on Malaco with saxophonist Peter Brainin (Cats Paw Records) and No Saints/No Sinners (Playscape Records). As well as having a busy performance schedule, Mr. Johns has taught at the Vermont Jazz Center, the Jazz In July Program at the University of Massachusetts, the Thelonius Monk Institute in Aspen Colorado and Williams College in Massachusetts.

Michael Lipsey
Visiting Specialist
Percussion
973-655-7212
liptal1@yahoo.com

Michael Lipsey holds masters degree from Manhattan School of Music. He has performed with such prestigious ensembles as the Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society II, Riverside Symphony, Ensemble Sospeso, Philharmonia Virtuosi, Newband and is a founding member of the Talujon Percussion Quartet. The Talujon Percussion Quartet has performed for the Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society, La Jolla Chamber Music Society, BAM, Tan Dun, Taipei Red Lantern Festival and recorded for Tzadik and CRI Records. He has also recorded for Sony Classical with the BBC Symphony, CRI, Albany, Red Poppy, Mode, and Nonesuch Records. He has performed at festivals around the world including Berlin, Mexico City, Taipei, Tokyo, Moscow, Bang on a Can, Chautauqua, Library of Congress and the Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors Festival. He is very interested in creating new works for hand drums and commissions and premieres works in this medium. Recently he traveled to Cuba to study the religious music of that country and continues to study South Indian percussion.

Thomas Mulvaney
Visiting Specialist
Percussion
973-655-7212

Thomas Mulvaney has performed on Broadway in Grease and many freelance engagements including jazz, shows, and orchestra performances. A versatile musician, Tom is frequently heard throughout the metropolitan area.