Leonard, Stanley

Stanley Leonard

Biography

Born: September 26, 1931

Country: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.

Studies: Northwestern University (1950), Eastman School of Music (B.M.1954)

Teachers:

Website: http://www.stanleyleonard.com

Mention: Inducted into the Percussive Arts Society (2010) PAS Hall of Fame

Orchestra: Pennsylvania - The Big List of timpanists - Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra

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Stanley Leonard, timpanist, composer and educator, has been an active participant in the world of percussion for over sixty-five years. He performed as percussionist with the Kansas City Philharmonic, the Rochester Philharmonic, the Nineteenth Army Band, and had a distinguished thirty-eight year career as Principal Timpanist of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. His career has included international concert performances, television series, solo appearances with the Symphony, two world premier performances of commissioned works, as well as two American premieres. He performed with the PSO on more than fifty recordings. Pittsburgh Symphony Music Directors were consistent in their appreciation of Stanley's artistry. William Steinberg stated, "He is the number one man in the orchestra, the embodiment of tympanum playing." Andre Previn said, "He is not only a virtuoso timpanist but a consummate musician." When Stanley retired, Lorin Maazel commented, "He is a hard man to replace."

During the Pittsburgh years, Stanley taught percussion, timpani, and percussion ensemble at Carnegie Mellon University. He held this position for twenty years, later assuming responsibilities at Duquesne University as Adjunct Professor of Percussion. His students have found places in the performing world, education, and the music industry.

Starting his university teaching career in 1958, Stanley discovered a shortage of music for students to use for technical study and ensemble performance. He began writing technical studies, etudes, solos for snare drum, timpani, and percussion ensemble music. Established publishers in the United States and Europe became interested in his music, and over forty of his works are now published by many publishers and performed worldwide. Forty-seven more pieces are listed in the Stanley Leonard Percussion Music catalog. He is the author of the well known method Pedal Technique for the Timpani. Stanley is a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers. He performs and conducts his percussion compositions on CDs, including Canticle, Collage, Reunion, and Acclamation.

Stanley attended the Eastman School of Music and studied with William Street, graduating in 1954 with a Bachelor of Music degree and Performers Certificate in Percussion. He was a charter member of the first Eastman Wind Ensemble, founded in 1952 by Frederick Fennel, and has maintained personal relationships with former classmates and colleagues, including John Beck, Gordon Peters, and Mitchell Peters. Stanley and his wife, Margaret, sponsored the Eastman Leonard Commission for a new solo work for timpani and orchestra in 1991 and the Stanley and Margaret Leonard Collection of Percussion Instruments for the school in 2007. They also commissioned a solo piece for timpani and wind ensemble at Duquesne University.

Stanley remains active in the percussion world in his retirement. Stanley is resident timpanist, composer, and hand bell director at Vanderbilt Presbyterian Church in Naples, Florida. Percussion Summit performances in Naples have included his works commissioned by the Naples Philharmonic Center for the Arts, where he has also appeared as a soloist with members of the Naples Philharmonic. Stanley has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Percussive Arts Society (PAS) and as a member of the PAS Symphonic Committee. He is listed in the PAS Hall of Fame, and has participated in the Percussive Arts Society International Conventions (PASIC). He has presented master classes at conservatories and universities throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia. Stanley is a Yamaha Performing Artist.

Works for Percussion

Alleluia - Timpani; Organ
Antiphonies for Two Percussion Quartets - Percussion Octet
Beachwalk - Percussion Quintet
Canticle - Timpani
Choirs - Multiple Percussion
Circus - Percussion Quintet
Closing Piece - Percussion Quintet
Concertino (Leonard) - Timpani
Concertino (Leonard) - Percussion Septet; Timpani Solo
Contemporary Album for the Snare Drum - Snare Drum
Contemporary Album for the Snare Drum - Percussion Duo
Continuum - Percussion Duo
Cycle for Percussion - Percussion Quartet
Dance Suite (Leonard) - Percussion Quartet
Doubles (Leonard) - Timpani
Drum Tune - Percussion Quartet
Duales - Percussion Duo
Duet No. 1 for Two Timpanists - Percussion Duo
Duet No. 2 for Two Timpanists - Percussion Duo
Duetto Concertino - Percussion Solo; French Horn
Duo for Two Timpanists - Percussion Duo
Echoes of Eight - Timpani
Echoes of Nine - Timpani
Echoes of Seven - Timpani
Epigram - Timpani
Evolutions - Percussion Nonet
Ex Machina - Percussion Octet
Fanfare and Allegro for Timpani and Trumpet - Timpani; Trumpet
Fanfare, Meditation, and Dance - Percussion Octet
Fantasia on Luther's Hymn - Timpani; Organ
Forms - Timpani
Four Images - Percussion Sextet
Genesis - Percussion Quintet
Good Christian Men Rejoice - Percussion (10); Handbell Choir
House music for Percussion - Percussion Quartet
Hurricane - Percussion (14)
Impressions - Percussion Trio
Incidental Music - Percussion Quintet
Janissary Band - Percussion (14)
Madras - Timpani
March and Scherzo for Unaccompanied Kettledrums - Timpani
March for Percussion (Leonard) - Percussion Sextet
Marche - Percussion Sextet
Mirrors - Percussion Sextet
On That Day - Multiple Percussion; Organ
Prelude for Four Marimbas - Percussion Duo
Processional (Leonard) - Percussion Quintet
Promenade - Percussion Quartet
Quarimba - Percussion Sextet
Recitative and Scherzo - Percussion Septet
Recitative and Scherzo - Timpani; Percussion Ensemble
Rise Up O Flame - Percussion Sextet
Sacred Stones - Percussion Septet
Scherzo (Leonard) - Percussion Octet
Serenade (Leonard) - Percussion Quintet
Six Bagatelles - Percussion Octet
Skies - Percussion (10)
Solo Dialogue - Multiple Percussion
Solus - Timpani
Sonnet - Multiple Percussion; Tape
Symphony for Percussion (Leonard) - Percussion Nonet
Telin-ting - Percussion Quartet
Tenere - Percussion Quartet
The Advancing Gong - Percussion Quintet; Tape
The Bells (Leonard) - Percussion Septet
The Earth, Wind, and Fire - Percussion Octet
Three Sketches - Percussion Quartet; Trumpet
Three Spaces - Percussion Trio
Traveling Music (Leonard) - Percussion (10)
Trioso - Percussion Trio
Triptych (Leonard) - Multiple Percussion; Chamber Ensemble
Two Contemporary Scenes - Percussion Trio
Two Meditations - Multiple Percussion
Ubique - Multiple Percussion
Waltz - Percussion Sextet
Winged Chariot - Percussion Quintet
Winter Fantasy - Percussion (10); Handbell Choir
Word Games II - Percussion Quintet
Xylem - Percussion Nonet