Dave Mancini has had a prolific career as a composer, performer, author, and educator. Having been awarded the prestigious Performer’s Certificate from the Eastman School of Music, Mr. Mancini has performed and/or toured with such luminaries in the music industry as: Doc Severinsen, Maynard Ferguson, Maureen McGovern, Eddie Daniels, Urbie Green, Marvin Stamm, Jeff Tyzik, Allen Vizzutti, Don Menza, Bill Dobbins, the Toshiko Akiyoshi/Lew Tabackin Big Band, Dee Daniels, New York Voices, the Five By Design vocal group, Jennifer Holiday, Ann Hampton Callaway, Rosemary Clooney, Joe Williams, Bob Hope, Chuck Mangione, Tony Bennett, Diahann Carroll, and Johnny Mathis. 
Moreover, Mr. Mancini has performed with such prominent orchestras as the Boston Pops, Chicago Symphony, Philly Pops, Pittsburgh Symphony, New York Pops, Toronto Symphony, National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa, Minnesota Orchestra, Detroit Symphony, Vancouver Symphony, Calgary Philharmonic, St. Louis Symphony, Houston Symphony, Dallas Symphony, Seattle Symphony, National Symphony at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Milwaukee Symphony, as a member of the percussion section of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, and at the Marlboro Music Festival from 1971 – 1981.
Mr. Mancini’s recording credits include: Salt Peanuts and One On One with saxophonist Denis DiBlasio, Land of Make Believe and Tarantella with Chuck Mangione, Storm with Maynard Ferguson, Rogers and Leonhart with bassist Jay Leonhart, the Bartok Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion for the Musical Heritage Society, as a xylophone soloist on the Eastman Marimba Band album, Nola, as well as on a number of recordings with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. Furthermore, he has played drum set and percussion on several movie and television soundtracks, as well as on radio and television commercials.
As a composer Mr. Mancini has written numerous works for solo percussion, percussion ensemble, as well as for symphony orchestra, concert band, solo flute and percussion ensemble, and cello quartet with percussion and string bass. He is also the author of Drum Set Fundamentals, as well as several articles on drum set technique, and careers in the music industry.
Mr. Mancini served for three years as a music outreach class instructor for the Eastman School of Music, and is an artist/clinician for Yamaha Drums, Zildjian Cymbals, and Vic Firth drumsticks and mallets. Under the aegis of the aforementioned companies, he has made numerous appearances at universities, high schools, and junior high schools throughout the United States and Canada, performing as a guest soloist, and/or presenting hands-on workshops and master classes.
When did you begin studying music?
I began studying in the public school music program in third grade at the age of eight.
Did you always study percussion?
Yes, I always studied percussion. I actually wanted to play the trumpet, but the elementary school band director persuaded me to study snare drum, and then of course, all the percussion instruments, including mallets, timpani, and drum set.
Who were your primary teachers?
My first teacher was my elementary school band director. But after four months of taking lessons in the school music program, he told my parents I should have private lessons, and recommended the Eastman School of Music Preparatory Department, which is now called the Eastman Community Music School. So at eight years old I started studying with John Beck, who was teaching in this program at that time. I studied with John for 10 years in the Preparatory School, and then four more years in the college program. I believe I was the only student that John had ever taught from the very beginning all the way through college.
When did you decide to pursue a career in music?
I was in 8th grade when I knew that I would like to pursue a career in music. I had a real passion for it. I remember telling my parents, and some of my friends, that I wanted to attend the Eastman School of Music for college, and become a professional musician. And fortunately, I was able to do both.
Did you have a specific goal: teach, perform, compose, etc?
When I was in school I did not really have a specific goal. I think I focused more on performing, but I also had an interest in teaching, and composing.
Do you focus on a specific area of percussion?
Right now I focus on drum set, but I still play orchestral percussion from time to time, and I occasionally sub in the percussion section of an orchestra. Before my career started to focus on drum set, I did a lot of percussion playing. I was an extra percussionist in the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra for nine years. I recorded Bartok’s Sonata For Two Pianos and Percussion with John Beck. I also performed recitals on marimba, as well as a lot of ragtime xylophone solos. In fact, I played all the George Hamilton Green xylophone solos, plus Nola, on the Eastman Marimba Band album. Gordon Stout played the Breuer solos plus the Dance of The Octopus, and I played all the Green solos.
Besides Mr. Beck, are there any other teachers who impacted your musical growth?
John Beck was my main teacher, but I attended master classes, and clinics whenever I could, and I occasionally got a lesson with someone else. Steve Gadd and I are from the same high school. I have known Steve since I was 12 years old, which was the first time he came over to my house and we played together. When I was in high school, Steve also came back to the school a few times to sit in with the jazz band and demonstrate things for us. He also spent some individual time with me. When I was 19, I played utility percussion for Chuck Mangione for his orchestra concerts, and Steve was the drummer. So I learned a lot from playing alongside Steve. I also listened to many other drums set artists, and I learned a lot from them. I was also highly influenced by Bob Becker and Bill Cahn who were in Rochester when I was in school. Bill is still in Rochester, and we have played together many times. I see Bob from time to time. I did play drum set with Nexus in Toronto for their ragtime concert, celebrating their 25th Anniversary Season.
What teaching positions have you held?
Currently I do not hold any teaching positions, but for three years I taught a music outreach class at Eastman. I have taught privately over the years, and I am also a clinician for Zildjian, Yamaha, and Vic Firth. I have also performed clinics and master classes at high schools and universities throughout North America.
What percussionists have inspired you the most and why?
I will list several percussionists who have inspired me: Bill Cahn, Bob Becker, Vic Firth, Steve Gadd, all the members of Nexus, Buddy Rich, Tony Williams, Art Blakey, Philly Joe Jones, George Hamilton Green, Alan Abel, and many others as well. I name these people because not only are they masters of their instrument, but there is something very special about the way they play. They make beautiful sounds, they play with great passion, and they are truly musical artists on their instrument. And of course, I have to mention my teacher John Beck who was a big inspiration to me. He recognized that I had some talent, and he pushed me hard. He gave me a great foundation, and he never placed any limitations on me. He always encouraged and supported me. I am very grateful to John.
What motivated you to begin composing?
I’m not sure what really motivated me to begin composing. I wrote my first percussion ensemble piece when I was a sophomore at Eastman. It was performed that year by the Eastman Percussion Ensemble. I guess I always had an interest in creating music, so I decided to pursue composing. And the more writing I did, the more I wanted to do. I eventually realized that I wanted composing to be a part of my career, and that I had a gift for it.
Have you formally studied composition?
I never studied composition formally. I took music theory classes in college and high school, as well as a semester of orchestration and jazz arranging. But that is all the formal training I had. I listen to a lot of music: classical, jazz, and Latin American music as well – and I study scores of the master composers from time to time. I knew how to write for percussion, but when I started writing for strings, winds, and brass, I would often consult with people who played those instruments. I also had played violin and flute music on the marimba, so I was very familiar with what these instruments could do.
What composers of percussion do you identify with?
First of all, I have been highly influenced by all the great composers throughout history who wrote for symphony orchestra, as well as classical chamber music: Beethoven, Mozart, Mahler, Bach, Debussy, etc. You could also add Stravinsky, Copeland, and Leonard Bernstein to the list as well. In terms of percussion composers, I would say Warren Benson, Bill Cahn, Michael Colgrass, and maybe a couple of others whose names do not come to mind right now.
What usually motivates you to compose?
I truly believe that my motivation and creative ability for composing comes from Divine Inspiration. It is truly a gift from the Creator Himself – the Creator of all music. Sometimes I am commissioned to write a piece, or I have a particular artist who I would like to write for, which gets me started, but the inspiration for the music itself is definitely a gift from God, who has given each and everyone of us special gifts. I should also mention that right now I am not writing as much percussion music, although some of my music has percussion parts. I have composed for symphony orchestra, chamber music, and solo violin; as well as a piece for violin, cello, piano, and two percussion; a symphonic percussion ensemble; a string trio; a cello quartet with percussion; and a violin, cello, piano trio. I also composed a symphonic percussion ensemble that was premiered in Milwaukee in November 2015. It was dedicated to my friend Jim Sewrey, who inspired me to write this piece, and who was also responsible for coming up with the name for the Percussive Arts Society.
How would you describe your compositional approach?
It’s hard to describe my compositional approach. Sometimes there is a very specific goal in mind with a piece I am working on. It could be for a specific artist or ensemble, or for very specific instrumentation. But one thing I always like to do is think about a musical form when I am writing, and to create music that is enjoyable for the performer and audience alike. I aspire for my music to relate to all audiences, not just other musicians; making my music accessible to everyone.
Do you commonly compose with a specific grade level in mind?
Sometimes I do: if I have been commissioned to write for a high school or college ensemble, or if I am writing something at the request of a publisher for their catalog. But otherwise, I do not necessarily think about grade level. I am writing a lot for professional musicians now, but that doesn’t mean that the music is not playable by younger musicians. Good music does not have to be technically impossible to play. Simple music can also be beautiful music, as was displayed by the great composers.
Does being a percussionist make it easier to compose for this instrument?
I would say that being a percussionist definitely makes it easier to write for it.
Has composing made you a better teacher and/or performer?
I think composing definitely gives you a better understanding of music in general, and it also has you hear music differently. When I am performing, I am listening to the other musicians with both my performer’s ears, and my composer’s ears. In terms of teaching, I think the greater understanding of music that you gain from composing, definitely helps you to convey musical concepts to a student.
How do you feel when performers interpret your work differently than you intended?
Sometimes a different interpretation can be nice, as long as they do not drift too far away from the original intent of the music. We hear different interpretations of the masterworks all the time. You can hear the same Beethoven symphony played at slightly different tempos. So sometimes I enjoy it, but occasionally I don’t, if I feel they have not captured the right feeling or mood that I envisioned for a piece of music. For example, if the performer’s tempo is too far away from the one I had in mind, the music might not feel right to me. But most of the time I do hear what I was expecting to hear, and an interpretation that is slightly different can be good.
Is there anything in particular you would like teachers/students to know about your compositions?
The only thing I would like to say is that my intent is to create beautiful and enjoyable music for percussion, so that the general public will know that the percussion ensemble can be beautiful sounding, just like a string quartet, woodwind quintet, etc. I like to have both strong rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic elements in my music. I like to challenge the performers, but not to the extent where it is so technically difficult that they have to struggle to play the music. Technically difficult music can be beautiful music too, if you are not just exploiting the technical part of the music. It’s important to also create beautiful sounds, and demonstrate the beauty of the music and the percussion instruments. And I would like to say to both teachers and students, that when playing in a percussion ensemble, think the same way as if you were playing in a symphony orchestra. Or if it’s a more jazz oriented piece, then play like you are playing in a jazz ensemble. Therefore, always put the music first, and always have fun when you perform. This way, your audience will truly enjoy your performance.
