Culbreath, Wade

Percussionist who attended the Eastman School of Music and the University of Southern California, and studied with teachers that include John Beck, Massie Johnson and Arthur Press.

Groups with whom he has worked include the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Miles Davis/Gil Evans Still Ahead Orchestra, and the Pasadena Symphony.

On 12^th February 1999, the LACO appeared at Royce Hall with pianists Jeffrey Kahane and Jon Kimura Parker in a program that comprised Bela Bartok’s “Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion”, Zoltan Kodaly’s “Summer Evening” and Robert Schumann’s “Piano Concerto”.

Wade and composer/percussionist Steve Reich participated in the Ojai Music Festival at LibbeyPark Bowl on 8^th June 2008. Their recital consisted of Gyorgy Ligeti’s “Etude No. 1” (“Desordre”) and “Etude No. 6” (“Automne a Varsovie”), Reich’s own “Drumming” and Edgard Varese’s “Ionisation”.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic paid tribute to Miles Davis and Gil Evans in 2009 as part of the Jazz at the Bowl series. Selections included “Concierto de Aranjuez” by Joaquin Rodrigo, “Miles Ahead” by Davis & Evans, “Saeta” and “Solea” by Evans, and “Summertime” by George & Ira Gershwin.

In 2011, the Miles Davis/Gil Evans Still Ahead Orchestra honoured the pair in similar fashion at the 54^th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival in anticipation of Evans’ centenary celebration on 13^thMay 2012.

The LACO offered up Bruce Adolphe’s “Self Comes to Mind” and Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Septet in E flat major for Strings and Woodwinds, Op. 20” at The Broad Stage on 24^th March 2011.

On 27^th March 2011, Wade went green at Alex Theatre in a presentation of music by Joe and George Hamilton Green. The kid-friendly recital featured “Cross Corners”, “Fluffy Ruffles”, “The Hummingbird”, “Jovial Jasper”, “Triplets” and “Xylophonia”. Wade played no fewer than twenty-four instruments, including the anvil, bass drum, celeste, Chinese cymbal, cowbells, duck call, fight bell, glockenspiel, hi hat, marimbas, 1918 Deagan Artist Special Xylophone, opera gong, snare drum, splash cymbal, tambourine, toy pianos, triangle, washboard, and woodblocks.

Composer/conductor Thomas Ades joined the L.A. Philharmonic at Walt Disney Hall on 1^st April 2011 for a performance of his own composition “In Seven Days”, complemented by Igor Stravinsky’s “Concerto for Two Solo Pianos” and “Les noces”.

On 3^rd April 2011, the LACO were back at Alex Theatre in Glendale for a program entitled “Ragtime Xylophonia”.

Wade helped deliver the world premiere of Alexander Rannie’s new score for the animated short film Trolley Troubles at the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra’s Silent Film Gala on 22^nd May 2011.

His contribution to film music hardly ends there. He has been heard on the soundtracks of The Adventures of TinTin: The Secret of the Unicorn, Battleship, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Day After Tomorrow, Elektra, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, The Hangover, I, Robot, Joy Ride, Kit Kittredge: An American Girl, Life as a House, Max Payne, The Nativity Story, Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, The Rite, Snow White & the Huntsman, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, Without a Paddle, X-2: X-Men United, and Year of the Dog.

Other recordings on which he appears include: Contra Diction and Savoir Faire by Allen Savedoff; Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra 40^th Anniversary; The Movie Album: As Time Goes By by Neil Diamond; Music is Better Than Words by Seth MacFarlane; Phases: A Nonesuch Retrospective by Steve Reich; Serenada Schizophrana by Danny Elfman; Songs from an American Movie Vol. One: Learning How to Smile by Everclear; To See You by Harry Connick, Jr.; and, The Trumpet of the Swan by Jason Robert Brown.

Games may have heard his percussive stylings on Quantum of Solace, Resident Evil, and Spider-Man 2.

Sources:

Culbreath, Wade

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