Jonathan Haas

Jonathan Haas is an American timpanist. Philip Glass' Concerto Fantasy for Two Timpanists and Orchestra was commissioned for him by several orchestras.

Early life Haas was born circa 1955, raised in Glencoe, Illinois, where his father was CEO of Sealy Posturepedic. After studying liberal arts—including percussion lessons—at Washington University in St. Louis, by the American Symphony Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Peabody Symphony Orchestra, Phoenix Symphony and Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, jointly. Haas had first suggested the idea of a timpani concerto to Glass almost a decade earlier.

Other work Haas is the Director of Instrumental Performance and Percussion Studies at New York University (NYU), as well as the co-director of the NYU Orchestra Program. He teaches the Percussion Program at the Juilliard Pre-College, and on the faculty at the Aspen Music Festival and School.

He performs with the American Symphony Orchestra, American Composers Orchestra, All-Star Orchestra, New York Pops,

Haas played on the Grammy Award-winning Frank Zappa tribute album Zappa's Universe, and played percussion on Steve Vai's Mystery Tracks – Archives Vol. 3.

He is also the owner of Gemini Music Productions, contracting musicians for the New York Pops, Mostly Mozart Festival, All-Star Orchestra, Westchester Philharmonic, and others.

Personal life

Haas has three daughters from his first marriage, and has since remarried, to Anna Kepe.