Everett Firth

American classical percussionist, though he was also trained as a cornet, trombone, clarinet, and piano player. Head of the percussion department at the New England Conservatory from 1950, and founder of Vic Firth, Inc., a manufacturer of drum sticks and mallets, in 1963. He retired from the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 2002, after a 50 year tenure as timpanist. Born: 2nd June 1930 - Winchester, Massachusetts, U.S.A. Died: 26th July 2015 - Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A. [aged 85]