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Abel was born in [[Hobart, Indiana]], in 1928.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=http://www.stokowski.org/Philadelphia_Orchestra_Musicians_List.htm|title=Philadelphia Orchestra Musicians List|last=Huffman|first=Larry|date=|website=www.stokowski.org|publisher=The Stokowski Legacy|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=2017-04-04}}</ref><ref name="pas" /> At the age of seven, he started percussion lessons. He studied with Clarence Carlson at the Roy Knapp School and then with Haskell Harr and William Street at the [[Eastman School of Music]] from 1947 to 1951, where he earned a performance degree and played part-time with the [[Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.de/books?id=KyQKAQAAMAAJ&q=%22Alan+Abel%22+percussion&dq=%22Alan+Abel%22+percussion|title=Percussionists: A Biographical Dictionary|last=Barnhart|first=Stephen L.|date=|publisher=[[Greenwood Press]]|year=2000|isbn=9780313296277|location=|page=5|language=en}}</ref>
Abel was born in [[Hobart, Indiana]], in 1928.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=http://www.stokowski.org/Philadelphia_Orchestra_Musicians_List.htm|title=Philadelphia Orchestra Musicians List|last=Huffman|first=Larry|date=|website=www.stokowski.org|publisher=The Stokowski Legacy|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=2017-04-04}}</ref><ref name="pas" /> At the age of seven, he started percussion lessons. He studied with Clarence Carlson at the Roy Knapp School and then with Haskell Harr and William Street at the [[Eastman School of Music]] from 1947 to 1951, where he earned a performance degree and played part-time with the [[Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.de/books?id=KyQKAQAAMAAJ&q=%22Alan+Abel%22+percussion&dq=%22Alan+Abel%22+percussion|title=Percussionists: A Biographical Dictionary|last=Barnhart|first=Stephen L.|date=|publisher=[[Greenwood Press]]|year=2000|isbn=9780313296277|location=|page=5|language=en}}</ref>


After enlisting and playing with the [[United States Air Force Band]] from 1951 to 1953,<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":1" /> he performed with the [[Oklahoma City Philharmonic]] from 1953 to 1959.<ref name=":3" /><ref name="pas" /> In 1959 he became a member of the [[Philadelphia Orchestra]] with which he performed until the end of his career in 1997.<ref name="pas" /> He was named Associate Principal Percussionist of that orchestra in 1972.<ref name="pas" />
After enlisting and playing in the [[United States Air Force Band]] from 1951 to 1953,<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":1" /> he performed with the [[Oklahoma City Philharmonic]] from 1953 to 1959.<ref name=":3" /><ref name="pas" /> In 1959 he became a member of the [[Philadelphia Orchestra]] with which he performed until the end of his career in 1997.<ref name="pas" /> He was named Associate Principal Percussionist of that orchestra in 1972.<ref name="pas" />


In 1998 he was inducted into the [[Percussive Arts Society]] Hall of Fame.<ref name="pas" /><ref name=":1" /> In 2012, he was awarded an [[Honorary degree|Honorary]] [[Doctor of Music|Doctorate of Music]] by the [[New England Conservatory of Music]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://necmusic.edu/honorary-doctor-music|title=Honorary Doctor of Music|last=|first=|date=|website=New England Conservatory of Music|publisher=|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=}}</ref>
In 1998 he was inducted into the [[Percussive Arts Society]] Hall of Fame.<ref name="pas" /><ref name=":1" /> In 2012, he was awarded an [[Honorary degree|Honorary]] [[Doctor of Music|Doctorate of Music]] by the [[New England Conservatory of Music]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://necmusic.edu/honorary-doctor-music|title=Honorary Doctor of Music|last=|first=|date=|website=New England Conservatory of Music|publisher=|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=}}</ref>

Revision as of 01:50, 19 April 2017

For the prankster, see Alan Abel.
Alan Abel
Alan Abel performing in 2015
Alan Abel performing in 2015
Background information
Born1928 (age 95–96)
Hobart, Indiana
Genresclassical music
Occupationpercussionist
Instrument(s)triangle, snare drum, bass drum
Years active1951-present

Alan Abel (born 1928 in Hobart, Indiana) is an American percussionist and inventor of musical instruments.

Career

Abel was born in Hobart, Indiana, in 1928.[1][2] At the age of seven, he started percussion lessons. He studied with Clarence Carlson at the Roy Knapp School and then with Haskell Harr and William Street at the Eastman School of Music from 1947 to 1951, where he earned a performance degree and played part-time with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra.[3]

After enlisting and playing in the United States Air Force Band from 1951 to 1953,[1][3] he performed with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic from 1953 to 1959.[1][2] In 1959 he became a member of the Philadelphia Orchestra with which he performed until the end of his career in 1997.[2] He was named Associate Principal Percussionist of that orchestra in 1972.[2]

In 1998 he was inducted into the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame.[2][3] In 2012, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music by the New England Conservatory of Music.[4]

Abel has also been a teacher at Rutgers University[5], Rowan University,[5] and Temple University, at the latter since 1972.[2][6]

Musical instruments

Abel's predecessor at the Philadelphia Orchestra, Jim Valerio, had a custom-made triangle which was coveted by his peers.[2] After lending it to Abel for the first two years, Abel devised a way to recreate the sound and created the "Alan Abel Triangle", which uses a piece of chromed brass.[7] Used by many professional percussionists around the world because of its overtone-rich sound,[8] the Triangle has been manufactured by and with the continuous oversight of Alan Abel since 1963.[9][5]

Abel also invented the "suspended" bass drum stand in the early 1960s, which he manufactured himself until 2013, when he turned over manufacturing to Andy Reamer, who had previously already supplied the drums.[8] The stand allows the bass drum to be suspended on a ring that swivels.[2] The suspended bass drum stand is used by most American symphonic orchestras and the concept has been copied and imitated by multiple drum hardware manufacturers worldwide.[2][9]

References

  1. ^ a b c Huffman, Larry. "Philadelphia Orchestra Musicians List". www.stokowski.org. The Stokowski Legacy. Retrieved 2017-04-04. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i O'Mahoney, Terry. "PAS Hall of Fame: Alan Abel". Percussive Arts Society. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
  3. ^ a b c Barnhart, Stephen L. (2000). Percussionists: A Biographical Dictionary. Greenwood Press. p. 5. ISBN 9780313296277.
  4. ^ "Honorary Doctor of Music". New England Conservatory of Music. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  5. ^ a b c Colaneri, Chris (2015). Modern Etudes and Studies for the Total Percussionist. Oxford University Press. p. 126. ISBN 9780199389148.
  6. ^ Lewis, Susan (17 June 2014). "A Master Percussionist Nurturing the Next Generation". WRTI. Retrieved 2017-04-03. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  7. ^ Facchin, Guido (2000). Le percussioni (in Italian). EDT srl. p. 133. ISBN 9788870632514.
  8. ^ a b Kanny, Mark. "Percussion trifecta: PSO's Reamer plays, teaches, makes drums". TribLIVE.com. Retrieved 2017-04-04.
  9. ^ a b Lewis, Susan (4 February 2013). "Where Music Lives: At Percussionist Alan Abel's House". WRTI. Retrieved 2017-04-03. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
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