PAS is proud to announce the 2019 recipients of its distinguished Awards: PAS President’s Industry Award (Craigie Zildjian), Outstanding PAS Service Award (Dr. Paul Buyer), Outstanding PAS Supporter Award (Diane Downs), and Outstanding PAS Chapter Award (South Carolina and China).
"On behalf of everyone at PAS, I want to congratulate Craigie, Paul, and Diane, as well as the entire South Carolina chapter and chapter president, Jesse Willis, and the entire China chapter and chapter president, Shanlin Jiao. The work, service, support, and advocacy each of them do on behalf of PAS is remarkable and these awards represent just a small token of our appreciation. I hope everyone will join us in Indianapolis at PASIC 2019 as we publicly recognize our awardees on Friday Evening at 8:00PM." — Joshua Simonds, PAS Executive Director
PAS President's Industry Award
2019 Recipient: Craigie Zildjian
The PAS President’s Industry Award was established to recognize those individuals in the Percussion Industry that have demonstrated outstanding achievement in their field and outstanding support of the Society.
In 1976, Craigie Zildjian joined her father (Armand) and grandfather (Avedis) in the family business. This was the first time three generations of Zildjians would work side by side in the family cymbal business. In another first, Craigie became the first woman to be appointed CEO of the company in 1999, a position she held for 20 years.
An active member in the musical community, Craigie has served on the New England Conservatory Board and the NAMM International Music Products Association Board, and is a Trustee Emeritus of Berklee College of Music.
Craigie has a daughter, Samantha.
Outstanding PAS Service Award
2019 Recipient: Dr. Paul Buyer
The Outstanding PAS Service Award was established to recognize an individual each year that has provided service to the organization through a significant project, cause, or cumulative service that has made a significant contribution to the Society as a whole.
Paul Buyer is Director of Percussion, Director of Music, and Professor of Music at Clemson University. He received his Doctor of Musical Arts and Master of Music degrees from the University of Arizona and his Bachelor of Science degree from Ball State University. Featured in SUCCESS Magazine’s Achiever’s Series, Dr. Buyer is a sought-after keynote speaker, clinician, and the author of "Working Toward Excellence: 8 Values for Achieving Uncommon Success in Work and Life," "Marching Bands and Drumlines: Secrets of Success from the Best of the Best," and co-author of "The Art of Vibraphone Playing: An Essential Method for Study and Performance." He is a contributing author to the second edition of "Teaching Percussion" by Gary Cook, and his articles have appeared in "American Music Teacher," "Teaching Music," "Jazz Education Network," "Percussive Notes," "Rhythm! Scene," and "The PAS Educators’ Companion." Dr. Buyer is a former member of the Star of Indiana Drum and Bugle Corps and placed 2nd in DCI Keyboard Individuals in 1990. In 1992, he was a percussion staff member with the Dutch Boy Drum and Bugle Corps. Dr. Buyer serves as a clinician/endorser for Yamaha Percussion, Vic-Firth Drumsticks, Remo Drumheads, Sabian Cymbals, Grover Pro Percussion, and is an Educational Artist for Balter Mallets. He serves as Co-Content Editor for Percussive Notes, the official PAS journal.
Outstanding PAS Supporter Award
2019 Recipient: Diane Downs
The Outstanding
PAS Supporter
Award was
established to recognize an individual
each year that has
significantly promoted the Society
through his or her
professional and
educational activities to increase visibility and
awareness of the Society.
Diane Downs is the founder and artistic director of The Louisville Leopard Percussionists. She is from Louisville, KY and began playing music at home at a very early age. She participated in band throughout school and entered Morehead State University in Morehead, KY with a music scholarship. After taking a year off of college to teach music in Montego Bay, Jamaica, she returned to Morehead to pursue her degree in elementary education. Diane earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in elementary education from Morehead State University in Morehead, KY and a Rank 1 status from the University of Louisville in the areas of gifted education and jazz pedagogy.
Diane founded The Fabulous Leopard Percussionists in 1993, directed that group for ten years and then created The Louisville Leopard Percussionists, a non-profit, community based group. She also assists the “We Got The Beat” percussion ensemble in Fresno, CA and serves as a consultant to numerous elementary percussion ensemble programs around the United States. Diane was a teacher in the Jefferson County Public School System for 28 years. From 1989-2003 she taught 2nd & 3rd grade at ML King Elementary and from 2003-2018 she taught music at Norton Elementary. To learn more about Diane, click here: http://wfpl.org/five-things-teacher-diane-downs-on-music-confidence-and-mowing-the-lawn/
In recognition for her work, Diane received the 1996 WHAS TV/PNC Bank ExCel Award, the 2001 Governor’s Award for Excellence in Arts Education, the 2004 Louisville Arts Council Community Arts Award in Music, the 2005 Today’s Woman Magazine Most Admired Woman in Louisville in Education Award, the 2008 National Cable Leaders in Learning Award, the 2015 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr Living the Vision Award, and the 2018 John LaPorta Jazz Educator of the Year Award through The Jazz Education Network and Berklee College of Music. Diane is a member of The Percussive Arts Society, The Jazz Education Network, National Association for Music Education, and is active with Hit Like A Girl.
Outstanding PAS Chapter Award
2019 Recipient: South Carolina
The Outstanding PAS Chapter Award recognizes
individual chapters
who have increased
membership and
provided percussion
events, newsletters, and experiences that are beneficial for the continued music education of all chapter members. This award replaces and enhances the PAS Outstanding Chapter President Award, which was an annual award presented on behalf of the Society for nine- teen years to an Outstanding Chapter President. Knowing that an outstanding chapter president’s contributions are really the reflection of the work of the other chapter officers as well as the chapter membership, the Outstanding Chapter Award was integrated into the Society’s awards in 2010. The 2019 Outstanding PAS Chapter Award goes to the South Carolina. Currently,
Jesse Willis is serving as President.
2019 Recipient: China
The Outstanding PAS Chapter Award recognizes individual chapters who have increased membership and provided percussion events, newsletters, and experiences that are beneficial for the continued music education of all chapter members. This award replaces and enhances the PAS Outstanding Chapter President Award, which was an annual award presented on behalf of the Society for nine- teen years to an Outstanding Chapter President. Knowing that an outstanding chapter president’s contributions are really the reflection of the work of the other chapter officers as well as the chapter membership, the Outstanding Chapter Award was integrated into the Society’s awards in 2010. The 2019 Outstanding PAS Chapter Award goes to the China Chapter. Currently,
Shanlin Jiao is serving as President.