If you’ve attended one of our recent performances, you may have noticed our brand new timpani in all its gleaming glory and our Principal Timpanist, Teag Solberg, beaming behind it. What you may not know is that it has quite the story behind it as well.
In early 2013, a proposal was made to the Parker Symphony Board of Directors. It was time to invest in a set of professional level timpani for the orchestra. The timpani the orchestra owned were middle school grade drums which were inadequate for an orchestra moving forward musically and improving with every season. The Board agreed and began to work on several programs to raise the funds necessary for the purchase.
By the fall of 2014, approval for ordering two of the four timpani was given. Plans were put in place to have the timpani built and ready for the 2015/2016 season opening concert. The board then approved the purchase of the third timpani in early spring of 2015. When added to the order, however, the manufacturer informed us that by adding the third timpani, it would delay the delivery by a couple of months.
Unfortunately, bad news came in July, 2015. The manufacturer announced they were going out of business, our order was canceled, and the deposits would be returned. The disappointment was vast and deep! Not to be deterred, our Principal Timpanist set out to find another equally impressive professional set of timpani.
In August, with recommendations from Bill Hill and Steve Hearn of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, and with the help of a contact with a percussion dealer in Pennsylvania, the right drums were found – Adams Dresden Classic Professional Timpani (made in Holland). Time was of the essence at this point because the window of availability for this set of timpani was very small; everything had to line up just right. We were very fortunate to get these timpani! They arrived in early October, just in time for the 2015/2016 season opening concert on October 24th.
Special thanks needs to be given to all those who worked diligently behind the scenes to make the funding, approval, and purchase of this amazing set of timpani possible. The comments about the beauty and sound of these timpani have been completely positive since they’ve arrived and have performed with the symphony. You will see and hear this set on stage at all the Parker Symphony concerts for many years to come.
