Join us for a percussion masterclass with Jauvon Gilliam at the Mary Louis Curtis Branch of Settlement. This event is free and open to the public.

Jauvon Gilliam was named principal timpanist of the National Symphony Orchestra in 2009 -

the first African American principal in its history. Currently, he is also timpanist of the Mainly

Mozart Festival Orchestra and is on the artist/faculty roster of the Stellenbosch International

Chamber Music Festival.

He has performed as guest timpanist with top ensembles including the Budapest Festival

Orchestra, as well as the symphony orchestras of San Francisco, Detroit, Indianapolis, Cleveland,

the UK-based Chineke! Orchestra, Festival Orchestra of Lincoln Center, and the PBS-based

All-Star Orchestra.

Gilliam has appeared as soloist with the National, Baltimore, and Winnipeg Symphony

Orchestras and at Carnegie Hall with the Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony. From 2010 to 2024, he

served as Director of Percussion Studies at the University of Maryland, mentoring students now

in orchestras, military bands, and teaching at universities worldwide. He has led masterclasses

across five continents and taught at festivals and institutions including Aspen, Interlochen, New

World, and the National Youth Orchestra of the USA.

Prior to his NSO appointment, Gilliam was principal timpanist of the Winnipeg Symphony for

seven seasons. A native of Gary, Indiana, he began his career as a pianist, later earning his

degree from Butler University. He received an honorary doctorate from Butler in 2014.

In 2022, Gilliam won his first GRAMMY , performing alongside Jon Batiste in the American

Symphony premiere at Carnegie Hall.

He proudly endorses Yamaha musical instruments, Remo drumheads, Sabian cymbals, and has a

signature line of timpani mallets by Dragonfly Percussion.