PAS History

During the late 1950s, it became obvious to many professional percussionists and music educators that a national percussion organization dedicated to education was needed. This need was discussed by leading percussion performers and music educators whenever they had the opportunity to gather at regional or national music conventions, such as MENC or the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic held each December at Chicago's Sherman House. During the spring of 1960, Robert Winslow, a professional percussionist and North Hollywood band director who served as an educational advisor to Remo Belli, wrote to leading percussion educators requesting their assistance in establishing such an organization. Among the stated goals of the organization contained in these letters were: "to bring up to date the present standards in our solo and ensemble contests," "to stimulate a greater interest in percussion performance and teaching," and "to promote better teaching of percussion instruments."

While at the 1960 Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, Remo Belli, an exhibitor at the convention, invited a group of interested percussionists to dinner at the hotel's restaurant to discuss the formation of the organization, and at which time he was given a mandate to name the organization. In January of 1961 during the SW-MENC in Albuquerque, New Mexico, a meeting was held at the Sundowner Hotel where Jim Sewrey suggested the name "Percussive Arts Society" to Remo Belli. Others present at this meeting, in addition to Mr. Belli and Mr. Sewrey, were Fred Hoey, Frank Arsenault, and George Frock.

Following this meeting, Mr. Winslow sent a letter proclaiming: "We are underway. The Percussive Arts Society is open for business," and in September 1961, the Society sent its first publication, Percussive Arts Society Bulletin, printed on a mimeograph machine donated by Mr. Belli, to the membership. The fourteen originating members listed in the first Percussive Arts Society Bulletin were: Remo Belli, Warren Benson, Mervin Britton, Robert Buggert, Don Canedy, Rey Longyear, Charles Lutz, Jack McKenzie, James L. Moore, Verne Reimer, Jim Salmon, Hugh W. Soebbing, Charles Spohn, and Robert Winslow.

1963 PAS Logo

After three Bulletins, a determination was made to transfer the administrative and publication duties of the Society to Professor Donald Canedy, who was the percussion instructor and band director at Southern Illinois University. In April of 1963, Mr. Canedy, with the advice of a distinguished editorial board and an able group of contributing editors, published the new PAS journal, Percussionist (in later years called Percussive Notes Research Edition) in its familiar booklet form. Mr. Canedy served as de facto president through 1964, when, at the December Percussive Arts Society meeting in Chicago, a constitution was adopted and regular officers were elected. Gordon Peters became the first President of PAS; Jack McKenzie took the position of First Vice-President and Mr. Canedy continued as Executive Secretary. Also elected were a Board of Directors and an Editorial Board. With this solid structure, the Society became increasingly influential, expanding its committee activities to address important percussion issues and making policy decisions that would result in important contributions to all areas of percussion.

An important expansion occurred in 1967 when James L. Moore's already successful Percussive Notes became an official PAS publication. Another milestone was achieved in 1969 when the Society was incorporated in Indiana as the Percussive Arts Society, Incorporated, a status it maintained until 1985 when it was reincorporated under the laws of Illinois.

1965 PAS Logo

Beginning in 1971, performances and clinics called "Days of Percussion" were held in conjunction with the yearly business meetings. In 1974, the first Percussive Arts Society National Conference (PASNC) was held in Anaheim and at California State University at Northridge. It was hosted by Lloyd McCausland and Joel Leach( CSU/Northridge) and the PAS California Chapter, David Levine, chapter president. The PASNC evolved into the Percussive Arts Society International Convention that we know today as PASIC. The first PASIC was held in 1976 at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, and was hosted by John Beck, the Eastman School and the New York State Chapter (see next page)

It is important to note two significant awards presented annually by the Society. First, since 1972, PAS has inducted some of the most important people in percussion into its Hall of Fame. Secondly, since 1974, the PAS Composition Contest has encouraged the production of hundreds of new works, many of which have become part of the standard percussion repertoire. Thus, the Percussive Arts Society, which began in 1961 as a group of fourteen concerned percussionists, has grown to more than 8,000 members worldwide, with significant influence on percussion performance, education, composition, publication and manufacturing.

The first Hall of Fame awards were presented December 16, 1972. Three of the five recipients are pictured here. Roy Knapp, Haskell Harr, William F. Ludwig, Sr. They are shown holding their Hall of Fame awards which they received that day.