Nelson, Angela Zator

She is a percussionist born in Chicago who earned her Bachelor of Music degree at Northwestern University’s School of Music, where she earned her Bachelor of Music degree. During her time there she was Principal Percussion with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago.

She took further studies in Philadelphia at Temple University, where she earned her Master of Music degree and studied with Alan Abel who is a former member of The Philadelphia Orchestra.

In 1999 she became the first female percussionist to become a member of The Philadelphia Orchestra, where she holds the position of Associate Principal Timpani and section percussion.

As a marimba soloist she has given performances with the Bay-Atlantic Symphony, the Main Line Symphony, the Philadelphia Classical Symphony and the Temple University Symphony.

As a chamber musician she has performed as a member of the Philadelphia Orchestra Percussion Group and Network for New Music and with Orchestra 2001 she premiered and recorded the first five of George Crumb’s American Songbooks. She has also performed as a guest artist with the West Chester University Percussion Ensemble.

A participant at various festivals she has performed at the National Repertory Orchestra, the Pacific Music Festival, the Peninsula Music Festival, the Saratoga Chamber Music Festival and Tanglewood Music Festival.

She is married to the percussionist David Nelson and they are both members of the Bob Beach Trio and have often worked as a duo in educational concerts and recitals.

A performer on several recordings she can be heard on CDs that include Jennifer Margaret Barker: Geenyoch by Jennifer Margaret Barker, Crumb: The River of Life; Unto the Hills by Ann Crumb, Movement in Time by Don Liuzzi, At the Still Point by Network for New Music and No Strings Attached: Percussion Music by Marc Mellits by the Philadelphia Percussion and Piano Project.

In the field of musical education she has given master classes at many educational venues including the Alan Abel School of Orchestra Studies held annually along with the Oberlin Percussion Institute and the Percussive Arts Society International Convention. She became an Adjunct Professor on the faculty of Temple University’s Boyer College of Music and Dance in 2001 and has also been on the faculty of the Philadelphia International Music Festival.

Sources:

Nelson, Angela Zator

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