Reviews

Home
Latest News
Biography
Discography
Solo Repertoire
Reviews
Drums and Sticks
MaracaStix
Online Lessons
Favorite Links
Audition Lists
Articles
Jobs
Items For Sale
Email
Guestbook

Working Timpanist's
Survival Guide

IU Carrillon

Reviews:

The Washington Post, May 31, 2002

"The "Burleske" combines great, gasping, haunted-house shudders for the piano with inventive and muscular orchestration. Ax gave a brilliant and jovial reading of the piano part, and the NSO provided wonderfully nimble support. Orchestra and pianist deserved their standing ovation, and it was gracious of Ax to insist on calling out the group's agile timpanist, John Tafoya, to share the glory."

The Washington Post, January 25, 2002

"While the noise-making -- a booming organ that shook the floors, wiry pianism, sonorous timpani -- was splendid . . ." [Saint-Saens: Organ Symphony]

The Allentown Morning Call, April 24, 2001

"Expert timpanist John Tafoya presided over five copper kettles that he hit with all kinds of different sticks and mallets. But it wasn't all drum noise. There was a lovely slow movement, when you could actually hear a melody intoned on those different drums, and there was a splendid cadenza that Tafoya improvised himself." [Russell Peck: "Harmonic Rhythm" Timpani Concerto].

The Washington Post, September 20, 1999

"Also worth mentioning is the [National Symphony] orchestra's new principal timpanist John Tafoya, who held a fascinating dialogue with Ohlsson in the cadenza of the [Beethoven] Violin Concerto transcription."

Sun-Sentinel, November 4, 1998

"The [Florida] Philharmonic responded eloquently. Particularly expressive efforts by flutist Jeanne Tarrant and timpanist John Tafoya added to the success."

Sun-Sentinel, April 16, 1998

"In Strauss' Burleske, Steuerman again offered plenty of finesse . . . The inventive, high-profile timpani part was superbly played by John Tafoya."

Sun-Sentinel, September 20, 1997

"The woodwinds and brass were now quite cohesive and incisive; the strings articulated vividly, never flagging in the relentless finale [Beethoven Symphony No. 7]. John Tafoya made the most of every timpani outburst."

Sun-Sentinel, July 21, 1997

"The Scherzo [Beethoven 9] had an electric charge that made up for any rough edges in execution. (Timpanist John Tafoya was, as throughout the Festival, invaluable here)."

Palm Beach Post, November 21, 1996

"The orchestra' s opening rendition of Beethoven's Egmont Overture (Op. 84, 1910) was extraordinary. The string section's sound was more powerful and more thoroughly convincing than ever. Fine work also was done throughout the night in the French horn and clarinet sections and especially by timpanist John Tafoya."

Sun-Sentinel, May 25, 1996

"There was a darkly burnished quality to the string tone, a rich coloring to the winds and brass, the usual incisiveness from timpanist John Tafoya."

Arts Indiana, November, 1991

"The timpanist in the Kaufmann [timpani concerto], John Tafoya, had technique to burn and used it to elicit an impressive array of sounds from his four flawlessly tuned drums."

The Denver Post, July 11, 1987

"Hindemith's Symphonic Metamorphosis on Themes of Carl Maria von Weber included well-executed lines and musicality in this showy piece, the best classical representation of the evening. Tympanist John Tafoya had a chance to display his enthusiasm for the instrument in the second movement, when he brought back the theme in an energetic splash."

The Herald-Telephone, January 31, 1985

"Tafoya managed to get good dynamic variation from the timpani and had a good sense of the rhythmic phrase. In the last movement he played many rapid notes that were never lost in a muddle but sounded clearly and individually in spite of the speed."

The Herald-Telephone, October 10, 1985

"Special note should be given to the timpanist, John Tafoya, who already demonstrated his virtuosic talents in the Percussion Ensemble's recital Monday night. There have been too many concerts in the last year when the timpani exploded more like vaguely pitched canons than musical instruments. But Tafoya knew how to coax rather than beat the sound out of his kettle drums and the result was a full, resonant sound that contributed richly to the texture and rhythmic life of the symphony."