New York Percussion Trio
Encyclopedia
The New York Percussion Trio was a three-member musical group consisting of two percussionists and one pianist, active in the New York City
area from the early 1950s until the mid-1970s.
The group was originally formed in 1954 as the Dance-Percussion Trio, to accompany performances by the modern dancer Daniel Nagrin
; Nagrin was a member of the trio along with the pianist David Shapiro and the percussionist Ronald Gould. The group toured the United States in June and July 1954. Following this tour, the Dance-Percussion Trio disbanded and the musicians added a second percussionist, Arnold Goldberg, thus forming a trio of two percussionists and a pianist. Shapiro was later replaced by Rolf Barnes, though he later rejoined the group.
The trio commissioned a number of new works from contemporary composers, including Harold Farberman
(Variations for Percussion With Piano, 1954), Halim El-Dabh
(Hindi-Yaat no. 1 and Tabla-Tahmeel no. 1, both 1959, and Tabla-Dance, 1961), and Gitta Steiner
(Trio, 1969). They were one of the first American percussion ensembles to utilize traditional percussion instruments from India (including tabla
and mridangam), which Gould brought back following a 1959 tour of that nation with The Little Orchestra Society of New York.
The group's primary focus was presenting percussion music to young people (ranging in age from kindergarten to the college level), with most of their performances arranged by the Young Audiences, Inc. organization of New York. Through their performances across the United States
(3,000 in all), the group did much to promote percussion music to the general public. They released an LP recording, entitled Holidays for Percussion (Vox, 1958), and a film, Percussion, the Pulse of Music (produced by Arts and Audiences, Inc., for the Educational Television and Radio Center, 1957), and appeared on the I've Got a Secret
television program, hosted by Steve Allen
, on January 24, 1966, as well as several other television programs, particularly those for children.
In addition to their work with the trio, Goldberg and Gould served for many years as members of the New York City Ballet
Orchestra and the orchestras of the Martha Graham
Dance Company and Joffrey Ballet
; Gould retired from his post with the New York City Ballet Orchestra in 2005 and Goldberg remains with the orchestra as timpani
st and orchestra manager. Shapiro was also active as a pianist, orchestra conductor, and opera producer in South Korea
, Hong Kong
, and the United States.
In the 1960s, a Boston, Massachusetts-based group called the New Boston Percussion Ensemble, also comprising two percussionists (James Latimer and Everett Beale) and a pianist (Allen Barker), was formed. This group also performed programs for the Young Audiences organization and performed some of the same repertoire as the New York Percussion Trio.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
area from the early 1950s until the mid-1970s.
The group was originally formed in 1954 as the Dance-Percussion Trio, to accompany performances by the modern dancer Daniel Nagrin
Daniel Nagrin
Daniel Nagrin was an American modern dancer, choreographer, teacher, and author. He was born in New York City.Nagrin studied with Martha Graham, Anna Sokolow, Hanya Holm, and Helen Tamiris whom he later married...
; Nagrin was a member of the trio along with the pianist David Shapiro and the percussionist Ronald Gould. The group toured the United States in June and July 1954. Following this tour, the Dance-Percussion Trio disbanded and the musicians added a second percussionist, Arnold Goldberg, thus forming a trio of two percussionists and a pianist. Shapiro was later replaced by Rolf Barnes, though he later rejoined the group.
The trio commissioned a number of new works from contemporary composers, including Harold Farberman
Harold Farberman
Harold Farberman is an American conductor, composer, and percussionist.-Biography:Farberman studied percussion at Juilliard and composition at the New England Conservatory and at Tanglewood with Aaron Copland...
(Variations for Percussion With Piano, 1954), Halim El-Dabh
Halim El-Dabh
Halim Abdul Messieh El-Dabh is an Egyptian-born American composer, performer, ethnomusicologist, and educator, who has had a career spanning six decades...
(Hindi-Yaat no. 1 and Tabla-Tahmeel no. 1, both 1959, and Tabla-Dance, 1961), and Gitta Steiner
Gitta Steiner
Gitta Steiner was an American composer.Steiner attended the Juilliard School of Music and Tanglewood, and was best known for her works for percussion instruments. She lived in Douglaston, Queens, New York....
(Trio, 1969). They were one of the first American percussion ensembles to utilize traditional percussion instruments from India (including tabla
Tabla
The tabla is a popular Indian percussion instrument used in Hindustani classical music and in popular and devotional music of the Indian subcontinent. The instrument consists of a pair of hand drums of contrasting sizes and timbres...
and mridangam), which Gould brought back following a 1959 tour of that nation with The Little Orchestra Society of New York.
The group's primary focus was presenting percussion music to young people (ranging in age from kindergarten to the college level), with most of their performances arranged by the Young Audiences, Inc. organization of New York. Through their performances across the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(3,000 in all), the group did much to promote percussion music to the general public. They released an LP recording, entitled Holidays for Percussion (Vox, 1958), and a film, Percussion, the Pulse of Music (produced by Arts and Audiences, Inc., for the Educational Television and Radio Center, 1957), and appeared on the I've Got a Secret
I've Got a Secret
I've Got a Secret is a panel game show produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman for CBS television. Created by comedy writers Allan Sherman and Howard Merrill, it was a derivative of Goodson-Todman's own panel show What's My Line?...
television program, hosted by Steve Allen
Steve Allen (comedian)
Stephen Valentine Patrick William "Steve" Allen was an American television personality, musician, composer, actor, comedian, and writer. Though he got his start in radio, Allen is best known for his television career. He first gained national attention as a guest host on Arthur Godfrey's Talent...
, on January 24, 1966, as well as several other television programs, particularly those for children.
In addition to their work with the trio, Goldberg and Gould served for many years as members of the New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Leon Barzin was the company's first music director. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company...
Orchestra and the orchestras of the Martha Graham
Martha Graham
Martha Graham was an American modern dancer and choreographer whose influence on dance has been compared with the influence Picasso had on modern visual arts, Stravinsky had on music, or Frank Lloyd Wright had on architecture.She danced and choreographed for over seventy years...
Dance Company and Joffrey Ballet
Joffrey Ballet
The Joffrey Ballet is a dance company in Chicago, Illinois, founded in 1956. From 1995 to 2004, the company was known as The Joffrey Ballet of Chicago. The company regularly performs classical ballets including Romeo & Juliet and The Nutcracker, while balancing those classics with pioneering modern...
; Gould retired from his post with the New York City Ballet Orchestra in 2005 and Goldberg remains with the orchestra as timpani
Timpani
Timpani, or kettledrums, are musical instruments in the percussion family. A type of drum, they consist of a skin called a head stretched over a large bowl traditionally made of copper. They are played by striking the head with a specialized drum stick called a timpani stick or timpani mallet...
st and orchestra manager. Shapiro was also active as a pianist, orchestra conductor, and opera producer in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, and the United States.
In the 1960s, a Boston, Massachusetts-based group called the New Boston Percussion Ensemble, also comprising two percussionists (James Latimer and Everett Beale) and a pianist (Allen Barker), was formed. This group also performed programs for the Young Audiences organization and performed some of the same repertoire as the New York Percussion Trio.