Published: January 15, 2009 12:27 pm      

Percussionist snares orchestra's second spot

BY RUTH RICE

RRICE@TRIBDEM.COM

As second percussionist for Johnstown Symphony Orchestra, Michael Vatavuk sometimes clashes with the rest of the orchestra.

“I play bells, cymbals, bass drums and snare drums,” said Vatavuk, who lives in the Somerset County community of Blough.

“All percussionists play different instruments.”

He added that principal percussionist Gloria Miller spreads the parts around.

“She mixes it up,” Vatavuk said.

“There are over 2,000 percussion instruments, and a percussionist is expected to play all of them. If something is called for that you haven’t played before, you have to do your homework.”

A percussionist always plays a solo because there is no one else to rely on, Vatavuk said.

While there might be three or four percussionists in an orchestra depending on the repertoire, they are more than likely playing different instruments.

“If I make a mistake on the cymbals, everyone knows it,” Vatavuk said. “I still enjoy it, though.”

Vatavuk, 38, has been a member of the symphony since he was a senior in high school in 1988.

After an informal but intimidating audition, Vatavuk started out as a fourth or fifth percussionist and moved up through the ranks as others moved on.

He started drum lessons when he was 7 years old but then lost interest.

Vatavuk returned to lessons when he was a sophomore in high school, studying for several years with Ron Horner, principal timpanist for Johnstown Symphony.

After competing in state and regional band competitions and enjoying it, Vatavuk thought the next logical step was auditioning for the symphony.

After graduating from Windber Area High School, Vatavuk earned a bachelor’s degree in music education at Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1992, graduating summa cum laude.

He also taught private percussion lessons at the former Williams Music Gallery in downtown Johnstown from 1987 to 1993.

Vatavuk has performed with Henry Mancini at Cambria County War Memorial Arena in Johnstown and with Mary Wilson of the Supremes at DelGrosso Amusement Park in Tipton.

He also fills in as percussionist with Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra and is a member of the Keystone Wind Ensemble, which is made up of IUP alumni.

“We get together for one rehearsal once a year, then do recordings,” Vatavuk said. “We record band music that has not been recorded before or there aren’t good recordings of it.”

The recordings are targeted for college-level audiences and high school bands that want to play the music.

He also enjoys playing in bands for musicals at local high schools, colleges and playhouses.

“What I enjoy most is playing at Mountain Playhouse,” Vatavuk said. “The talent is top notch. The musicals run for three weeks so you can get a chance to get used to the music.”

As a percussionist, Vatavuk’s favorite composer is Rimsky-Korsakov.

“He writes a lot of musical percussion,” Vatavuk said. “I have a lot to do. Rimsky-Korsakov writes more difficult things for percussion.”

Vatavuk likes the general sound of the orchestra when a Rimsky-Korsakov piece is played.

“One minute a trumpet is playing, then a clarinet comes in, and you didn’t even know there was going to be a change, he said.”

Johnstown Symphony has played two Rimsky-Korsakov compositions, “Russian Easter Overture” and “Scheherezade.”

Vatavuk has tried his hand at music arranging for the choir at St. Thomas Lutheran Church in Hooversville, where he serves on church council.

He also has done arrangements for the marching band and chorus at Windber Area High School.

When he isn’t banging and clanging with the symphony, Vatavuk works at Hoff Enterprises Inc. in Bon Air, where he stains and refinishes cabinets.

“I grew up on construction,” Vatavuk said. “I built a house with my dad when I was 10.”

In addition to building houses and garages with his father, Vatavuk built an addition on his own home which included a living room and hot-tub room.

On a smaller scale, he has constructed a wooden case on wheels for the percussion instruments at Johnstown and Westmoreland symphonies and designed and built a computer desk, stereo cabinet and a shelving unit for his home.

Vatavuk enjoys his work and enjoys his music even more now that he’s not doing it all day long.

He has worked as choral director, assistant band director, percussion instructor and music arranger for Windber Area from 1993 until August.

Since 1998, Vatavuk has been sole proprietor of MJV Enterprises, which specializes in video- and audio-tape repair, transferring video to DVD and audio to CD, production work and audio recordings for national clients.

Vatavuk’s family includes his wife, Kim, and children, Lisa and Joseph.



Michael Vatavuk

Position: Second percussionist with Johnstown Symphony Orchestra.

Age: 38.

Residence: Blough, located between Hollsopple and Hooversville.

Education: A 1988 graduate of Windber Area High School and a 1992 graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Employment: Hoff Enterprises Inc., Bon Air.

Family: Wife, Kim; daughter, Lisa; and son, Joseph.