User:Drummerboy 34/Lisa Mae Pegher

Lisa Mae Pegher is an American solo percussionist virtuoso, who has been crowned as "the future of Percussion" by the Pittsburgh Post Gazette and as quoted by Symphony Magazine, "is blazing a particularly rough, un-trodden trail," in the world of percussion.

Background
Lisa Mae Pegher grew up on a small rural farm in western Pennsylvania, close to Pittsburgh. Her first exposure to music was her parents' love of classic rock. At the age of seven, her first teacher immediately recognized her natural talent and encouraged her by buying her her first drum.

Pegher earned her undergraduate degree at the Duquesne University Mary Pappert School of Music, where her primary teachers were Pittsburgh Symphony members Andrew Reamer and Stanley Leonard. She also studied with Jack Dilanni, timpanist for the Pittsburgh Ballet and jazz drummer, Lenny Rogers. She later earned her masters degree at Northwestern University where she studied with Michael Burritt, Jim Ross and Paul Wertico.

Lisa made her debut as a solo percussionist with the Pittsburgh Symphony at Heinz Hall in her early twenties. Since then, she has been described by critics as “a brilliant polished performer” and as “the rising star in the percussion world,” and continues to premiere and commission numerous works for solo percussion.

Career
As quoted by symphony magazine, Lisa Pegher is “blazing a particularly rocky, un-trodden trail” in the world of percussion. She has premiered numerous works for solo percussion including a Meet the Composer grant commmision with composer David Stock.

She has appeared as soloist in numerous venues in various cities such as Chicago, Tokyo, Eindhoven, Houston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington D.C. and New York. She was one of only two Americans chosen to perform at the TROMP International Percussion Competition and Festival in the Netherlands and has been a featured artist at the Percussive Arts Society Convention on numerous occasions.

Lisa continually works with many inspiring conductors, some of which include: Daniel Meyer, Timothy Mufftt, Victor Yampolsky, Sydney Harth, Lucas Richman, Kevin Noe, Crafton Beck, Tomasz Golka, Emily Ray, Robin Fountain, Bernard Rubenstein, Robert Hart Baker, Max Valdez and Mariusz Smolij.

While maintaining an active solo career, she also performs regularly with the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra and is the principal timpanist for the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra.

Pegher has also fused elements of computer music, projection art and improvisation in the new multi-media work "Minimal Art," a collaboration with composer, Andrew Knox, and Graphic Designer, Ben Hill. The premiere performance was supplemented by the addition of Garland Goodwin Wilsons's dance company, "Of Moving Colors" in Baton Rouge, Novemeber 7, 2009.

Ms. Pegher endorses, and is supported by: Evans Drumheads, Marimba One, Innovative Percussion and Matt Nolan Custom Cymbals.

Awards

 * Aspen Music Scholarship awarded by the Minnesota Orchestra music competition recipient
 * William J. Spencer award fund at Northwestern University
 * winner of the Vladimir R. Bakaleninkoff Memorial Fund Scholarship
 * winner of Women’s Advisory Board Music competition at the Mary Pappert School of Music
 * Director’s Prize at the Kingsville International Music Competition in Texas
 * first place honors at the Northwestern University Concerto/Aria competition
 * recipient of the international YAMAHA Young Performing Artist Award.

Personal
Lisa is an avid runner, who averages five miles a day. She is also a frequent Bikram yoga practioner.

Lisa had a cat, "Sibelius" who was tragically killed by a speeding car. He "was as important as a child to me," and she continues to dedicate performances and charity concerts in his name.

She also is a coffee connooisseur; her favorite drink is a double tall, extra dry, soy cappuccino.

Lisa communicates with her fans and admirers through her blog on her website where she goes by the pen name "Lisa Mae." She also has a twitter account, where posts updates on her performances as well as pictures from her travels on the road.