Mike Mainieri

Biography

Mike Mainieri

Born on July 24, 1938, in the Bronx, New York, Mike Mainieri started to learn vibraphone from the age of 12 and made his professional debut at the age of 14. After performing as a member of the Buddy Rich Band, he served as a pioneer in the New York style fusion movement as a band leader of legendary groups, including White Elephant, L'Image, STEPS and STEPS AHEAD together with Steve Gadd, Michael Brecker and other artists in 1970s. Thereafter, he recorded with renowned musicians, including Paul Simon and Billy Joel, while continuously providing significant impact on the music scene through such initiatives as handling the arrangement of the 60-member Symphony Orchestra for rock band Aerosmith.

In 1994, as Mike Mainieri was sensing the limit of the expressive capability of the vibraphone as a musical instrument, the relationship with Yamaha and Mainieri began. Mainieri contacted Yamaha via a New York-based vibraphonist Dave Samuels to find out if Yamaha was capable of producing a custom-made vibraphone. Hiroaki Ohmuro, a great fan of jazz and also Yamaha's designer at that time, combined the opinions of Mainieri and Samuels to customize a vibraphone. Mainieri was extremely delighted with the result and commented, ""The sound it creates is sophisticated, like the piano."" The reputation of the resulting 3 1/2Oct vibraphone spread via word of mouth and became a hot topic among jazz circles. The instrument was generally marketed thereafter as the YV3910 model and is currently well established as the next-generation vibraphone.

Henrik M. Schmidt

Percussionist with the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Professor for orchestral percussion and ensemble at the Rostock University of Music and Theatre

Le Yu

Born in China. Graduated with the first International Artist Diploma in Solo Percussion from the Royal Northern College of Music, UK with a full scholarship. Le also holds Masters Degree of Music with Distinction and Honours Bachelor Degree of Music from the RNCM, He has worked with Dame Evelyn Glennie, Keiko Abe, Ian Wright, Eric Sammut and Simone Rebello among to others. Le has performed in front of the British Royal Family at the 60th Royal Over-seas League Competition Award Ceremony in London's Southbank Centre, where he has won the first prize of mixed ensemble category with his Aurora Percussion Duo, they have also won the Park Lane Group Competition. A year later they have been chosen by Yehudi Menuhin's Artists Agency "Live Music Now" to deliver exciting projects to special educational needs across the UK. Beside of chamber music he has also received many solo awards including Gold Medal at China National Percussion Competition; Winner of Italy International Percussion Competition Marimba Category B; The Best Percussion Award from World Brass In Concert with Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band and First prize of Yamaha European Scholarship Competition 2012. As a concerto soloist, Le UK premiered Keiko Abe ‘The Wave’ Marimba Concerto with RNCM Symphony Orchestra and China Premiered with Xi’an Symphony Orchestra. He has also worked as a concerto soloist with Lucerne Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra of Mexico, Manchester Camerata, BBC Singers and Shenyang Symphony Orchestra. Le performed live on BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 2, BBC Manchester, European Television 4 and CCTV Music. Le was a Soloist of 2016 World Percussion Group giving Solo recitals, masterclasses and ensemble concerts across the USA. Since 2016, Le is a jury member of China National Percussion Competition and Southern Percussion International Tuned Percussion Competition in London. He is also an Artistic Advisor of Sichuan Percussion Ensemble in China. Le has been invited to give masterclasses at National Conservatory of Music Mexico, School of Arts Singapore, HongKong Academy for Performing Arts, China Central Conservatory of Music, ShenYang Conservatory of music, Xi'an Conservatory of Music, Eastern Illinois University, University of Texas San Antonio, Zhejiang Conservatory of music, Huddersfield University, Royal Northern College of Music, Purcell School and many more. Le is a Signature Artist of Encore Mallet. Inc. Sabian Artist and a Yamaha Artist. Currently he has been appointed as a Honorary Associated Artist at the Royal Northern College of Music and He is sponsored by the Arts Council England as an Exceptional Talent to work and live in the UK.