An artist with Mike Balter Mallets, Zildjian Cymbals, and Vic Firth Drum Sticks, Antonio Santangelo is President of the Italy Chapter of the Percussive Arts Society, and author of Progressive Method for Snare Drum, published by HoneyRock. He won the RAI Giovanni Interpreti National Competition for his recording of Mayuzumi’s Concertino for 
Xylophone and Orchestra with the RAI Symphony Orchestra of Turin. In addition to recording for the R.C.A., EDIPAN, and NUOVA ERA labels, Mr. Santangelo has premiered the works of such composers as: Rota, Togni, Bussotti, Sciarrino, Clementi, Donatoni, Pennisi, Manzoni, Maderna, Procaccini, and Nono. Moreover, since 1974 he has served as timpanist and percussionist with the RAI Orchestra of Turin and Naples, and has performed with the RAI Orchestra of Rome as a drum set artist and percussionist.
As an educator, Mr. Santangelo is currently a Professor of Percussion at the Luisa D’Annunzio Conservatory of Music, and is frequently invited to sit on juries for international competitions, as well as conduct masterclasses throughout Europe. For over 30 years he has organized numerous percussion competitions and festivals. Most notably is the Italy Percussion Competition which has become known world-wide. And due to his contributions to the percussive arts, he received the Percussive Arts Society Outstanding Chapter President Award in 2007, and in 2010 he was awarded the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic by then Italian President, Giorgio Napolitano.
When did you begin studying music?
I started studying the piano at the age of 10 at the Umberto Giordano Music Conservatory in Foggia (where I grew up) because it did not have a percussion teacher. But having my grandfather and father being percussionists, I started listening to their lessons and performances at the age of six. Though my piano lessons became very useful for my subsequent study of percussion
What made you choose percussion?
It was easy to choose. I belong to a family of three generations of percussionists: my grandfather (1900 – 1977), my father (1927 – 2013), and ofcourse myself. At home when my father taught, I listened to his lessons which for me made learning percussion natural.
Who were your primary teachers?
My father, and later when the conservatory of my city offered percussion, I studied with Maestro Stefano Morellina, timpanist of the Teatro San Carlo in Naples, and later with the percussionist of the RAI of Naples Maestro Giordano Rebecchi.
When did you decide to pursue a career in music?
Immediately because I had the good fortune from the age of 16 to play in symphonic orchestras on RAI Radio Television Italiana with internationally renowned masters and soloists. These programs were of considerable difficulty for a timpanist, percussionist, and drummer.
Did you have a specific goal: teach, compose, etc.?
First was to play. To compose absolutely not …. I am not able, but to teach yes. Since 1977 I have been teaching percussion at the music conservatory. I also wrote Progressive Method for Snare Drum published by Honey Rock. Later I dedicated myself to organizing events for percussion. And since 2003 I have been President of the Italy Chapter of the Percussive Arts Society.
Do you focus on a specific area of percussion, if so, did you always?
I have always performed all areas of percussion in multiple genres: on drum set playing jazz and pop with orchestras and bands, to classical music on timpani and mallets, as well as multiple percussion in chamber music or as a soloist. I’ve performed world premieres by such composers as: Rota, Togni, Bussotti, Sciarrino, Clementi, Donatoni, Pennisi, Manzoni, Maderna, Procaccini, and Nono. And around 1970, I began to discover a lot of percussion literature, which led me to organize the first national competition for percussion in 1985.
Who impacted your musical growth the most?
First my father. Then piano teacher Mariausilia D’Arcangelo, and Maestro Domenico Losavio who directed the ensemble, I Solisti Dauni. He wanted me at an early age to perform with the ensemble, and made me understand many things about music: breath, phrasing, and musical expression.
What teaching positions have you held?
From 1977 to 1998 I taught at the Umberto Giordano Conservatory of Music in Foggia; from 1999 to 2013 at the Giovanni Battista Pergolesi Music Conservatory in Fermo; in 2000 I taught at the Academy of Arts in Tirana, Albania; and from 2014 to today at the Luisa D’Annunzio Conservatory of Music in Pescara. And over the years I have been invited to present numerous masterclasses at various European conservatories and universities.
What percussionists have inspired you the most and why?
Prior to the emergence of the internet, I did not have the opportunity to listen to, nor get to know many of our great artists. Although I have a diploma in percussion and piano, I feel I am self-taught. Since developing the Italian Days of Percussion Festivals, I had the opportunity to listen to, and meet such great percussionists such as: Evelin Glennie, Nebojsa J. Zivkovic, and Kevin Bobo. Interestingly enough, no one made me change my mind about how I teach or my preparation; on the contrary, they confirmed that what I have been doing was correct.
Is there a specific genre you enjoy performing the most?
On drum set I like performing with a big band. While in a classical setting I most enjoy performing timpani; especially when I play the symphonies of Brahms, Beethoven, and Mahler – most recently I had the opportunity to perform Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana. A masterpiece!
What composers do you identify with and why?
I don’t identify with any composer because I am not one. My son Claudio is a composer and percussionist who has written a lot for percussion. I think of myself as a good performer who manages to best express the score. And I like to play on all percussion instruments, from classical to contemporary music.
Do you get nervous before you play – if so, how do you deal with it?
I got nervous when I was a boy because I didn’t have an established method on how to learn a piece of music. Over time I have acquired such a method that allows me to have mastery of the music and to go on stage with tranquility.
Do you ever make a mistake while performing? If so, how do you go about resolving it?
Very few times have I made a mistake during a performance. My method of study, which I have also been communicating to my students for 43 years, is essential in resolving any performance mishap.
Has your practice regimen changed from when you were a student? And how do you keep your technique fresh on all primary percussion instruments?
I definitely don’t practice like I did when I was a student. If I don’t have any upcoming concerts, I will spend time daily on a little fundamental technique on the pad, and scales and arpeggios on the marimba.
How do you define a good musician and a good teacher? And has your definition of both changed from when you were a student to the present?
I believe that good musicians should know how to transfer their experience to teaching, yet not all are able to convey their knowledge. It is not always easy to reconcile the two. From personal experience, I can say that I have managed to do both things well. In fact, in my long career I have trained students who are now good teachers, good concert players, and good orchestral players.
Has teaching made you a better musician, if so how and why?
In my life it is exactly the opposite. Being a musician has made me a better teacher. Because I have years of performing experience – it trained me to teach.
Knowing what you know today, would you change anything about how you prepared for your career? If so, what and why?
Absolutely not. I wouldn’t change anything. I play and teach as if it were the first day. My teaching, and my performances have been the same for many years.
What words of wisdom would you share with a student who aspires to make a career as a performer and as an educator?
The best that I can communicate to students is to have passion, will, dedication, and seriousness with their studies. And to always have a point of arrival for your goal that becomes the starting point for your next. Therefore when you become a teacher, you can then pass your experiences on to your students, who will treasure them as they walk their artistic path.
If you would like to learn more about Mr. Santangelo, please visit his website at: http://www.santangelopercussioni.org/
