New York, NY (Top40 Charts) "Both as players and teachers, Rebecca Kite and Pete Magadini exemplify how music and music education change lives," said John Wittmann, director of artist relations and education, Yamaha Artist Services Indianapolis.
Yamaha bestowed the company's prestigious Legacy in Education Awards on Rebecca Kite and Pete Magadini at the annual Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC), held November 9-11 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Presented by John Wittmann, director of artist relations and education, Yamaha Artist Services Indianapolis, and Greg Crane, manager of artist relations, Yamaha Artist Services Los Angeles, the award recognizes distinguished Yamaha Artists and music educators for their extraordinary service to, and impact on, the field of music education.
"Both as players and teachers, Rebecca Kite and Pete Magadini exemplify how music and music education change lives," said Wittmann. "They are among those special artists who can inspire audiences and students alike."
Kite's contributions as performer, recording artist, teacher, scholar, author and inventor have touched percussion players of all levels. Her definitive biography of Japanese marimba virtuoso Keiko Abe, university-level clinics and groundbreaking marimba arrangements have advanced percussion music at the highest levels. Throughout her career, Kite has also remained devoted to fostering new students. She was the first artist to record marimba pieces traditionally played by beginners, allowing them to hear how the music should be played. Her diverse performing career has included stints as an orchestral percussionist (Owensboro Symphony, Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra,
Houston Grand Opera) and solo marimba artist playing both new music and adaptations of repertoire originally for lute, guitar and violin. Equally significant has been her long tenure as Percussion Department Technician at
Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music, which led her to design dozens of improvements for percussion instruments (four of which received U.S. patents). She joined the Yamaha artist roster in 1992.
A professional drummer since age 16, Magadini's credits include Diana Ross,
George Duke, Bobbie Gentry, Mose Allison,
Sonny Stitt, Chet Baker, the
Don Ellis Band,
Al Jarreau and the John Handy Quintet. He has also performed as an orchestral percussionist at the Berkshire
Music Festival at Tanglewood, Toronto Symphony, Oakland Orchestra and the Fromm Festival of Contemporary Music. In addition to recording with Ross and others, he has released four albums under his own name. Magadini has published five books on drum set technique and polyrhythms—including 2017's All-in-One Learn to Play the Drumset (Hal Leonard Publishing). In addition to being a highly respected private teacher and mentor, he has served as an instructor at the Dave Brubeck
Institute (University of the Pacific), the California Jazz Conservatory, Concordia University, McGill University, the Professional Drum Shop (Los Angeles) and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Magadini joined the Yamaha artist roster in 1987.
Each year, PASIC, the world's largest percussion convention, features the top names in drumming and percussion and draws more than 5,000 attendees from around the globe. Previous luminaries who have received the Yamaha Legacy in Education Awards at PASIC include
James Campbell, Dave Samuels, Dave Weckl, Jim Petercsak and Bob Breithaupt, among many others.
For more information on the Yamaha Artists roster, visit https://www.yamaha.com/artists/
About Yamaha
Yamaha Corporation of
America (YCA) is one of the largest subsidiaries of Yamaha Corporation, Japan and offers a full line of award-winning musical instruments, sound reinforcement, commercial installation and home entertainment products to the U.S. market. Products include: Yamaha acoustic, digital and hybrid pianos, portable keyboards, guitars, acoustic and electronic drums, band and orchestral instruments, marching percussion products, synthesizers, professional digital and analog audio equipment, Steinberg recording products and NEXO commercial audio products, as well as AV receivers, amplifiers, MusicCast wireless multiroom audio systems, Blu-ray/CD players, earphones, headphones, home-theater-in-a-box systems, sound bars and its exclusive line of
Digital Sound Projectors. YCA markets innovative, finely crafted technology and entertainment products and musical instruments targeted to the hobbyist, education, worship, music, professional audio installation and consumer markets.
