#402 Dr. Lynn Vartan- Percussionist, Educator, Podcaster and More!
This week’s guest is Lynn Vartan. Dr. Lynn Vartan is an internationally renowned music performer and educator, known for her collaborative performances and artistry as well as her dynamic warmth and energy on stage. She has been multiple times Grammy nominated and was a performer on an album that was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Music. She has been invited internationally to perform and teach in Vietnam, Cambodia, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Mexico, Columbia, England, Romania, Estonia, Sweden, Norway, Ireland and Denmark among others, and is currently a US Fulbright Specialist. Dr. Vartan is endorsed by the Paiste Corporation, Remo Inc. and Marimba One, and has a signature series of marimba mallets developed for her with Marimba One.
As a concerto soloist Lynn has performed with various orchestras including the Hubei Opera and Dance Company of Wuhan, China, the Sierra Wind Symphony, The Helena Symphony, The Cheyanne Symphony, The Orchestra of Southern Utah, Southwest Chamber Music, and has premiered new concertos by both American and Chinese composers. She has participated in cultural exchange projects such as the “World Percussion Group,” “Ascending Dragon” Project in Vietnam, “The Dream of Helen “project and China and the “East Meets West” project designed around her as a soloist in Wuhan, China.
As a new music percussionist Lynn has worked with Michael Colgrass, Vinny Golia, Arthur Jarvinen, Ursula Oppens, Joan Tower, Glen Velez, Xtet, James Newton, Chinary Ung, the Hilliard Ensemble, the Tambuco Percussion Ensemble and Grammy Award-winning Southwest Chamber Music. She has commissioned and/or performed nearly 50 new works for percussion by composers such as Donald Crockett, William Kraft, Carlos Rafael Rivera, Steve Hoey, Veronika Krausas, Erica Muhl, Arthur Jarvinen, Sean Heim, Jeff Holmes, Keith Bradshaw and Shaun Naidoo. Lynn has recorded on the ECM New Series, Albany Records, Cuneifroms Records, Bridge Records New World Records, Lian Records, Yarlung Records, and Cambria. Her current chamber music projects include Darkwood Duo (clarinet and percussion), Duo Vís (violin and percussion) and Duo LinLynn (percussion duo).
Lynn is currently Professor of Percussion Interarts at Texas A&M University, where she build programs and projects that bring together the worlds of music with dance, film, design, theatre and all the visual and performing arts.
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday to Count Eric C. Hughes! Eric is a Houston-based drummer and performer. He is the full-time drummer for The Repeat Offenders, The High Roller, McLemore Avenue as well as several other projects. Eric grew up in New Hampshire and has his BA in Music from Plymouth State University and his MM in Studio Music & Jazz from the University of Miami (FL). He doesn't let the paperwork get in the way of the groove. Eric moved to Texas in 2001 where he quickly worked his way into the local music scenes in both Austin and Houston. Over the last 21 years Eric has worked with some of the biggest names in Texas music and been on several tours of the US and overseas. You can find a list of artists Eric has performed with below. Eric was the Drum Set Committee Chairman for the Percussive Arts Society from 2011-2021. Still an active member of PAS, he is serving as Chair Advisor for the committee.
Happy Birthday to Michael Compitello! Michael was also on THIS EPISODE too. Michael is a dynamic, “fast rising” (WQXR) percussionist dedicated to commissioning and premiering new works that explore the sonic and expressive possibilities of percussion instruments.
He has developed sustained collaborations with composers such as Thomas Kotcheff, Tonia Ko, Amy Beth Kirsten, and Robert Honstein on new works, in addition to working with Helmut Lachenmann, David Lang, John Luther Adams, Alejandro Viñao, Marc Applebaum, and Martin Bresnick on premieres and performances of new solo and chamber works. Currently, Michael’s project Unsnared Drum (released August 2021 on New Focus Recordings) seeks to reexamine the snare drum through new works by composers Nina C. Young, Hannah Lash, Amy Beth Kirsten, and Tonia Ko.
With cellist Hannah Collins as the “remarkably inventive and resourceful” (Gramophone) New Morse Code, Michael has created a singular and personal repertoire through collaboration with some of America’s most esteemed young composers. New Morse Code's 2017 debut album Simplicity Itself on New Focus Recordings was described “an ebullient passage through pieces that each showcase the duo’s clarity of artistic vision and their near-perfect synchronicity” (I Care if You Listen) and “a flag of genuineness raised” (Q2 Music). In 2019 they released the title suite of Matthew Barnson’s portrait album, Vanitas, on Innova recordings and collaborated with Eliza Bagg, Lee Dionne, and andPlay on and all the days were purple, Alex Weiser’s Pulitzer Prize-finalist work on Cantaloupe Music.
Michael is also a member of Percussion Collective, an ensemble dedicated to refined performances of contemporary percussion repertoire, with whom he performed as soloist with the Colorado Symphony, and on concert series across the country.
As an orchestral musician, Michael has performed with the Lucerne Festival Academy Orchestra, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, and the Aspen Festival Orchestra, and with conductors Pierre Boulez, Marin Alsop, Reinbert de Leeuw, David Zinman, James Conlon, Brad Lubman, and Gustav Meier.
Michael is currently Assistant Professor of Percussion at Arizona State University. He previously taught at the University of Kansas, Cornell University and Mt. Holyoke College, and was Interim Lecturer in Percussion at UMass Amherst in the fall of 2012. Michael earned a DMA and MM from the Yale School of Music, and a BM from the Peabody Conservatory, where he studied with renowned percussionist Robert Van Sice. From 2009 to 2010, Michael performed and studied contemporary chamber music with the Ensemble Modern and the International Ensemble Modern Academy in Frankfurt, Germany on a Fulbright Grant from the US Department of State.
Happy Birthday to Roland Garcia! Hailing from Los Angeles, California, Roland "Gajate" Garcia is a touring , percussionist and educator. Roland is the son of renowned percussionist, teacher, inventor and friend of the show, Richie Gajate Garcia.
Roland Gajate Garcia was the percussionist for the internationally acclaimed television show, American Idol as well as Dancing with the Stars. A dynamic and versatile multi percussionist, Roland brings his energy and talent to the show's house bands.
Roland Garcia has also toured and/or worked with Rosalia, Kanye West, Stevie Wonder, Robin Thicke, Raphael Saadiq, Diana Ross, Patti Labelle, Franky Valli, Googoosh and Tamia. Roland has received his musical education from the prestigious Berklee School of Music and Cal State University Northridge.
You can also catch Roland Garcia in various LA Latin clubs with the Yari More Orchestra, Latin Sol salsa band and Oskar Cartaya Enclave.
Gig Alerts
The Jazz Foundation of America has listed their concerts for September and October.
Robert Glasper is back at the Blue Note NYC with the sixth season of “Robtober”.
If you are interested in playing at this coming NAMM Show, get your submissions in by September 17th, 2024.
Educational Spotlight
PASIC is happening this November and the price is going up, so get your registration done ASAP.
The hotels are going fast too. They also will be taken by anyone attending the Bands of America Grand Nationals, so don’t wait on that either.
The Schedule is now available in the Guidebook App.
The Evening Concerts have been announced as well. This includes friends of the show Stefon Harris and Jason Treuting (of So Percussion).
There are a limited amount of tickets to the Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Two of the recipients are friends of the show, Thom Hannum and Neil Grover.
Iconic Recording
The iconic recording was chosen by Lynn. It is “Seven Days” by Sting from the ‘Ten Summoners Tales’ album with Vinnie Colaiuta on drums.
Music News
Taylor Swift, Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, Tyla, Katy Perry, and more clean up with honors at the 2024 MTV VMAs. -Article
Shout-out to friend of the show Marcos Torres for playing with Rauw Alejandro on the VMAs.
The Emmy Awards happened and here is the list of winners and nominees.
Shout-out to Justin Paul and Benj Pasek who completed an EGOT with their Emmy win.
Rooting for friend of the show Bryan Carter who is halfway there!
Taylor Swift endorsed Kamala Harris and encouraged people to register to vote and make a plan to vote.
Damon mentions the ISideWith political quiz to see who you align with.
Jane’s Addiction has canceled the remaining dates on its reunion tour following Friday’s on-stage row between the lead singer and guitarist. -Article
The company Backline offers help to people in the music industry needing mental health care.
Jeremy Bosch was nominated for a Latin Grammy. Friends of the show Marcos Torres, Marcos Lopez, and Javier Raez all worked on this album
Lynn Vartan Interview
The song leading into the interview is, “3 Etudes: No. 1. From Dugan” by Gareth Farr, performed by Lynn Vartan, from the album, ‘Dancing on the Head of a Pin’.
Lynn hosted a podcast in the past.
Lynn is of Armenian decent. Damon mentions that the oldest company in the USA (Zildjian Cymbals) is also of Armenian decent.
Damon was introduced to Lynn from friend of the show, Megumi Smith.
Lynn will be giving a clinic at PASIC on Friday November 15th at 9am.
Lynn gives a PASIC preview and talks about her rig that she travels with. The clinic is demonstrating the electronics she uses and how she performs with it.
She uses Reaper, Ableton, and SuperCollider and more.
She will also premier a new piece by percussionist Ivan Trevino.
Damon and Lynn talk about devices used to play backing tracks. She also mentions QLab for syncing up with lighting and such.
Lynn uses a BopPad for live looping. Damon mentions the Boss Loopstation.
Lynn is currently not on any committees for the Percussive Arts Society, but hopes to be in the near future.
Lynn teaches at Texas A&M (The Aggies)
Before Texas, Lynn taught at Southern Utah University, and before that, Citrus Community College in L.A.
Lynn talks about her position at Texas A&M and Damon mentions friend of the show, Maria Finkelmeier who does some of the things Lynn teaches about as part of her career.
Lynn is on a Fulbright specialist roster. She explains what that is.
Damon brings up Jeff Holmes and is different from Jeffrey Holmes.
Lynn got her undergrad from Cal State Northridge, her masters and doctorate from USC and is originally from Fresno, CA and attended Roosevelt School of the Arts.
She was originally accepted at UCLA and was going to go into music business law.
Lynn taught at Thousand Oaks High School.
Lynn played piano, flute and violin before percussion.
Damon and Lynn have a love for Potatoes. The person that Damon refers to as the Potato Queen is Poppy O’Toole. Her instagram page is HERE.
Lynn has a weakness for bags. She loves Tote & Carry.
Lynn has a Wikipedia page.
Lynn breaks down which projects of hers are current. Duo 61/4 and Duo Vis are the same project. She had the Duo Exacta at one point with Miguel Gonzales. She currently has a duo with percussionist Wei Chen Lin called Duo Lin Lynn.
Lynn also has the Darkwood Duo with Dr. Laura Grantier.
Damon mentions the System of a Down folkoric Armenian song, “Arto”. Lynn mentions Tigran Hamasyan.
Lynn went on sabbatical recently and recorded an album, and studied the Bodhran, as well as studied what is going on musically with degrees in other places.
The interview Damon did with Ronan is EPISODE #102. You can see some of Ronan’s handiwork in THIS VIDEO.
Lynn explains what the A.P.E.X. event series is. The acronym is Ask, Ponder, Educate, and (X - a variable).
Lynn picks the iconic recording for the week.
Lynn uses Marimba One Instruments, and Marimba One Mallets, Remo Drumheads and Paiste Cymbals, Gongs and Crotales.
Shout-out to the late Jerry Steinholz, and the late Karen Ervin-Pershing.
You can follow Lynn on her Website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
The song leading out of the interview is “Nhiyr” by Michael J. Calamas performed by Duo LinLynn from the album ‘Stars Above’.
