Jeffery Prentice
As a young student he accelled as a drumset player and a rudimental snare drummer (military drumming) winning titles several in both disciplines.
Upon graduation from high school Jeff decided to concentrate on classical percussion as his major instrument at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. There he studied with the legendary timpanist Vic Firth, Timpanist and Percussion Section Head of the Boston Symphony for 50 years and Frank Epstein Percussionist and Contemporary Music Specialist with the Symphony as well for 43 years.
Jeffery continued performing piano and jazz drumming to supplement his income as a student at the conservatory. At the age of 21 he began performing as an extra percussionist with the Boston Symphony and Pops Orchestras, under Seji Ozawa, John Williams (movie sound track recordings), Erich Leinsdorf, Michael Tilson Thomas, Kurt Masur and many other noted conductors.
He was accepted as a full fellowship recipient to the Tanglewood Music Center by the Boston Symphony to further his studies during the summer months, with great conductors such as Leonard bernstein, Andre Previn, Eugene Ormandy and many more master musicians. At this point Prentice decided he would dedicate his musical endeavors to orchestral percussion and timpani in the Symphony Orchestra. He continued his studies at New England conservatory under scholarship, and performed throughout Boston with the Symphony, Ballet, Opera and many contemporary ensembles while receiving Bachelor and Master of Music degrees.
At the age of 23 he was appointed Assistant Principal Timpanist and Percussionist with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. Later he went on to hold positions in the United States Army Band, Washington D.C. (official band for the White House and Washington D.C. ceremonies), The Kennedy Center Opera Orchestra, and the Chautauqua Symphony Summer Festival Orchestra (made up of musicians from some of the finest orchestras in the United States).
In 1997 Jeffery received his Doctorate of Musical Arts degree from the University of Maryland at College Park (the first percussionist from the university to receive the degree), there, he commissioned and recorded 3 concertos for timpani and large ensembles.
As a teacher, Prentice has been a guest lecturer at the University of Maryland, New England Conservatory of Music, Conservatories of Valencia, Seville and Madrid and Zaragoza, in Spain. He continues to run a private studio that has placed students in major conservatories and fulltime playing positions throughout Europe.
From 1991 to the present Jeffery has been Principal Timpanist and Head of the Percussion Section of the Orchestra of the Principality of Asturias, Spain and performs regularly with other orchestras throughout Spain. In the summer months he performs with the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra in Chautauqua, New York.
He is and endorser for the Avedis Zildjian Cymbal Company, Hartke Timpani, and Frank Epstein Percussion Products.
Born in Rochester New York, USA, Jeffery Prentice began his studies of Percussion and Piano at the Eastman School of Music Prepatory Department in Rochester, New York, USA.
As a young student he accelled as a drumset player and a rudimental snare drummer (military drumming) winning titles several in both disciplines.
Upon graduation from high school Jeff decided to concentrate on classical percussion as his major instrument at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. There he studied with the legendary timpanist Vic Firth, Timpanist and Percussion Section Head of the Boston Symphony for 50 years and Frank Epstein Percussionist and Contemporary Music Specialist with the Symphony as well for 43 years.
Jeffery continued performing piano and jazz drumming to supplement his income as a student at the conservatory. At the age of 21 he began performing as an extra percussionist with the Boston Symphony and Pops Orchestras, under Seji Ozawa, John Williams (movie sound track recordings), Erich Leinsdorf, Michael Tilson Thomas, Kurt Masur and many other noted conductors.
He was accepted as a full fellowship recipient to the Tanglewood Music Center by the Boston Symphony to further his studies during the summer months, with great conductors such as Leonard bernstein, Andre Previn, Eugene Ormandy and many more master musicians. At this point Prentice decided he would dedicate his musical endeavors to orchestral percussion and timpani in the Symphony Orchestra. He continued his studies at New England conservatory under scholarship, and performed throughout Boston with the Symphony, Ballet, Opera and many contemporary ensembles while receiving Bachelor and Master of Music degrees.
At the age of 23 he was appointed Assistant Principal Timpanist and Percussionist with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. Later he went on to hold positions in the United States Army Band, Washington D.C. (official band for the White House and Washington D.C. ceremonies), The Kennedy Center Opera Orchestra, and the Chautauqua Symphony Summer Festival Orchestra (made up of musicians from some of the finest orchestras in the United States).
In 1997 Jeffery received his Doctorate of Musical Arts degree from the University of Maryland at College Park (the first percussionist from the university to receive the degree), there, he commissioned and recorded 3 concertos for timpani and large ensembles.
As a teacher, Prentice has been a guest lecturer at the University of Maryland, New England Conservatory of Music, Conservatories of Valencia, Seville and Madrid and Zaragoza, in Spain. He continues to run a private studio that has placed students in major conservatories and fulltime playing positions throughout Europe.
From 1991 to the present Jeffery has been Principal Timpanist and Head of the Percussion Section of the Orchestra of the Principality of Asturias, Spain and performs regularly with other orchestras throughout Spain. In the summer months he performs with the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra in Chautauqua, New York.
He is and endorser for the Avedis Zildjian Cymbal Company, Hartke Timpani, and Frank Epstein Percussion Products.
