Mark C. Yancich- timpanist, publisher, clinician, teacher

Principal Timpanist of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra since 1981, Mark Yancich is also active as a clinician, chamber musician, soloist, music publisher and on the percussion faculty at Emory University. He annually hosts the Mark Yancich Timpani Class each January, as well as The Atlanta Percussion (TAP) Seminar each June. Mark can be heard on over 100 recordings with the Atlanta Symphony, including most of the great choral/orchestral repertoire with Robert Shaw conducting.

He began his classical percussion studies at the age of fourteen with percussionists Bill and Ruth Cahn of the Rochester Philharmonic, and studied jazz drumset with Vincent Ruggiero in his hometown of Rochester, New York. Later he went on to earn his Bachelor of Music degree, studying timpani and percussion with Cleveland Orchestra principals Cloyd Duff and Richard Weiner, at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Prior to coming to Atlanta in 1981, he was timpanist and principal percussionist of orchestras in Maracaibo and Caracas, Venezuela, as well as in the Lake Placid (NY) Sinfonietta. While in Lake Placid, he was also fortunate to study with Saul Goodman of the New York Philharmonic.

Mark is featured on the performance video of the recital version of James Oliverio's "Timpani Concerto #1," and can also be seen on the “Art of Timpani” educational videos entitled, "Changing and Tuning Plastic Timpani Heads with Mark Yancich," "Tucking Calfskin Timpani Heads with Cloyd Duff," and "Sewing Felt Timpani Sticks with Mark Yancich."

Mr. Yancich and Dr. Steve Hemphill (head of the percussion department at NAU) jointly presented a class at the 2003 Percussive Arts Society International Convention in Louisville, Kentucky. Mark was also a guest clinician at the 2004 Oberlin Percussion Institute and in October, 2004 gave the first Internet 2 timpani masterclass from the Digital Worlds Institute on James Oliverio’s Timpani Concerto #1.

In December of 2009 Mr. Yancich presented a general timpani clinic on Timpani Tone Production at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago. He was also a guest timpanist with the Chicago Symphony in February of 2010.

Mark, along with brother Paul Yancich (timpanist of the Cleveland Orchestra) commissioned then premiered the Dynasty Double Timpani Concerto by James Oliverio with the Atlanta Symphony inJune 2011, repeated by the Cleveland Orchestra at the Blossom Music Center in September of the same year.

Milan Yancich (1921 - 2007)

French Hornist, teacher, publisher

Milan Yancich is a native of Whiting, Indiana born in 1921.  Musical achievements in his childhood school years led to a music scholarship to the University of Michigan.  It was the beginning of a lifelong journey filled with truly great personalities of the music world.

Mr. Yancich holds degrees from the University of Michigan and Northwestern University.  After his military service in World War II his first professional position was Principal Horn with the Columbus Philharmonic Orchestra (1946-1948).  From there he became Assistant first horn with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (1948-1951).  Then Principal and Third horn with the Cleveland Orchestra (1951-1952).  Solo horn with the American Broadcasting Studio Orchestra (1953).  He performed 43 years with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra in all positions and 27 seasons as Solo Horn with the Lake Placid Sinfonietta.  He has appeared as soloist, recitalist, and clinician throughout his career.  Mr. Yancich has taught at Ohio State University, Capitol University, Baldwin-Wallace College, and the Eastman School of Music.

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