Events › Frank Zappa and His Mallets of Invention

Delve into an overview of Zappa's music through curated tracks from the three major contributors of his keyboard percussion writing: Art Tripp, Ruth Underwood, and Ed Mann.

Looking at the compositions of American composer Frank Zappa (1940-1993), this engaging performer bridged styles between classical, jazz, rock and roll, and the avant garde. One of the most consistent components of his performing ensembles, aside from a treasure trove of legendary musicians, is his intentional use of mallet percussionists in his various touring bands. This seamless combination of styles represented a new approach to performing traditional conservatory percussion repertoire with the added kick of familiar pop styles and experimental sounds.

About the Presenter

Dr. Michael Yonchak currently is an Associate Professor of Music at Otterbein University in Westerville, Ohio, and a freelance percussionist.

Dr. Yonchak earned the Bachelor of Music in Education (percussion emphasis) and Master of Music in Instrumental Conducting degrees from the Dana School of Music at Youngstown State University in Youngstown, Ohio, and his Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in Wind Conducting from the University of Kentucky. His research focuses on the music of Frank Zappa, laying the groundwork for a Kickstarter Associate Producer credit in Alex Winter's documentary film Zappa (2020), as well as publications and clinic presentations about this engaging composer and other popular culture topics.

Dr. Yonchak is a proud endorsee for Vic Firth drumsticks, JDub Cajons, and Murat Diril Cymbals.