Wade Culbreath is principal timpani with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and Pasadena Symphony as well as principal percussion with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. He has performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic on recordings for the Sony Classical and Deutsche Grammaphon labels under the direction of Esa-Pekka Salonen and has appeared on the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s New Music Group concerts at Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Ojai Music Festival and the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. Highlights of his work with this ensemble include performing Pierre Boulez’s Eclat, Dérive 2 and Pli Selon Pli, and the world premiere of Esa-Pekka Salonen’s Catch and Release, under the direction of the respective composers.

A longtime fan of the music of Steve Reich, Wade enjoyed working on two of his Nonesuch label recordings, You Are (Variations) and Daniel Variations, and performing their world premieres in New York and Los Angeles. His extensive work in the Los Angeles film studios includes playing timpani and percussion on hundreds of motion picture and television soundtracks. Wade earned his Master of Music degree from USC and his Bachelor of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music, where he was awarded the Performer’s Certificate. His primary teachers were John Beck, Arthur Press, Kenneth Watson and Massie Johnson.

photo Michael Burke