Andrew Reamer, principal percussion at the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.
In Wednesday’s (5/22) WTAE TV (Pittsburgh), Shannon Perrine reports, “If you’ve seen the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra at Heinz Hall, you’ve likely heard Andrew Reamer play. Reamer’s been a principal percussionist in Pittsburgh since 2008, but his career started across the state…. Reamer [says that] his father was his first percussion teacher…. But his father wasn’t just a teacher, he repaired drums and made them. Reamer tells the story of America’s percussion history in his work outside the symphony…. Started during the Civil War, Drummers Service was eventually passed onto Reamer’s father. The company evolved to include stick-making…. Sawdust flies inside the shop as Reamer transforms wood into a concert bass drum…. Reamer hand paints the logo of each ensemble he ships a bass drum to: The Aspen Music Festival, Rice University. Every drum is signed by the craftsman who made it…. Reamer says he’s ready to pursue other passions. He hopes someone out there who loves percussion and woodworking can shepherd the shop into the next 166 years. ‘I hope and pray for the right person to come along because you really have to love it first,’ Reamer said. He’ll soon take his final bow as a member of the PSO. Reamer said he’s retiring in September.”
