The 2024 Steve Weiss Mallet Festival and Workshop

About The Artists

Valerie Naranjo

Valerie Naranjo’s performance career is one many percussionists would dream of having. She plays percussion for NBC’s Saturday Night Live band and performs on Broadway’s The Lion King. She has recorded and performed with some of the biggest musical acts in history, including the Philip Glass Ensemble, David Byrne, the Paul Winter Consort, Tori Amos, Airto Moreira, and the international percussion ensemble MegaDrums, which includes Milton Cardona, Zakir Hussain, and Glen Velez. 

More than her impressive performance credits, Naranjo’s career has broken boundaries of genre and gender to help redefine the way we as percussionists engage with our communities. Valerie has created a space for percussionists that is more inclusive to everyone, especially women. “She broke a gender barrier by being the first woman to perform on gyil and to become a first-place prize winner in Ghana’s Kobine Festival of Traditional Music,” says Dr. Patrick Roulet. She has incorporated musical instruments and styles from around the world into pop, classical, rock, and folk traditions, which have influenced our entire field. “Her contributions to music and percussion are boundary breaking, crossing, and uniting,” says Dr. Roger Braun. “From the popular music of the Saturday Night Live band, to the New York musical theater scene, to the gyil music of Ghana, to her impact as a world music educator, her influence is profound.”

Sasha Berliner

Sasha Berliner got her major start on the NYC scene when she debuted at NYC Winter Jazz Fest in 2018, followed soon after by Atlanta Jazz Fest and Burlington Jazz Fest in the same year, all before age 20. Sasha was the also first US recipient of the LetterOne “Rising Stars” Jazz Award in 2019, where she headlined 10 reputable jazz festival throughout the U.S. and Canada. This gave Sasha her her first official foray in to touring as a band leader and facilitated the creation of her debut album.

The alternative jazz album, “Azalea” (2019), was subsequently nominated for JazzTimes 2019 Readers’ Poll’s “Best New Release” and has been described as “shimmering and thoughtful” (Kassel, TIDAL), “gleefully exploring various genres and headspaces” (Tremblay, CTEBCM). The record takes on a trans-genre, politically charged, jazz-alternative sound, employing digital effects, synths, audio speech samples, and strings in the soundscape, a product of her diverse musical background and influences melded in to one.

Shortly after, Sasha was named the 2020 Downbeat Critics’ Poll winner of the “Rising Star - Vibraphone” category. She was both the first woman, and at 21, was the youngest individual in the poll’s history to be granted the win. She was voted in the top ten vibraphonists for the 2021 and 2022 Downbeat Reader’s Polls, sharing a list with vibraphonists such as Joe Locke, Stefon Harris, and Joel Ross. Sasha has commissioned works for Modern Marimba (Sarasota, FL) and the SWR NewJAZZ Meeting (Baden-Baden, Germany) as artist in residence for fall 2021, which resulted in her suite of music entitled “Tabula Rasa” to be released as a live CD in May 2023.

Sasha’s music work remains primarily based in both New York City and Los Angeles. She has gone on to headline international venues like Newport Jazz Festival, The Blue Note, Montreal Jazz Festival, and Monterey Jazz Festival.

Chien Chien Lu

Chien Chien Lu is a jazz vibraphonist, contemporary percussionist, and composer from Taiwan. She recorded on trumpeter Jeremy Pelt's latest record “Jeremy Pelt The Artist” and toured with the band to France, Poland, Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, and UK. Chien Chien has recently stepped forth as a composer and leader with her own quartet.

Chien Chien Lu had her first exposure to music when she started learning the piano at the age of six. At the age of ten, she developed a passion for percussion. In 2008, She joined world renowned Ju Percussion Group and performed throughout Taiwan, China, Japan, Thailand, Singapore. Chien Chien collaborated with composer Ching-Mei Lin and performed her marimba concerto for six-mallet marimba, entitled “Pulsing Wave.” In 2012, she played percussion accompaniment for the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre’s rendition of “Legacy,” and in 2013, she had a solo percussion concert at Taipei Novel Hall. In 2014, Chien Chien was awarded as “Emerging Young Artist” for her work with her marimba duo.

Chien Chien graduated from Taipei National University of the Art with a master's degree in classical music in 2015. After that, she came to the USA to study Jazz in Philadelphia with vibraphonist, Tony Miceli. Shortly after, she taught a few jazz workshops alongside Tony Miceli in Taiwan. In 2016, she received a monthly residency at Chris' Jazz Café in Philadelphia. In September, Chien Chien performed with Vertical Current at Silkcity. The concert was a tribute to Roy Ayers. In the same month, Chien Chien performed with Chris Stevens Quintet as part of the John Coltrane Memorial festival in Philadelphia.

Matthew Coley

In 2017, she graduated with a Master of Music in Jazz Studies from the University of the Arts. In August, she attend the prestigious Banff Jazz Residency under the direction of well-known jazz pianist, Vijay Iyer. In October, Chien Chien Performed at The Stone with Okkyung Lee. The Stone is a non-profit experimental music performance space located in New York City. In 2018, Chien Chien joined in Jeremy Pelt's Quintet and recorded on his critically acclaimed record “Jeremy Pelt The Artist”. That band has has toured extensively through out Europe getting rave reviews. They have also appeared at well-known NYC jazz clubs including Smoke, New School's Glass Box Theater and Jazz Standard. She also led her quartet performed at NTCH Summer Jazz festival, Sappho Jazz Live in Taiwan and The DiMenna Center in NYC, The BeanRunner Cafe.

Matthew Coley is an internationally acclaimed performer and the founding executive/artistic director of Heartland Marimba (HM). He has been described as "off the charts" (John Cook, Westminster Presbyterian Fine Arts Series, Des Moines, IA), while "delivering virtuoso...exquisite soloing on marimba" (Lauren Warnecke, seechicagodance.com).

Performing on marimba, percussion, hammered dulcimer/cimbalom, and glass, Matthew travels regularly bringing the beauty of the marimba's singing wood and the diverse timbre of other percussion and dulcimers to many audiences. About his dulcimer performing it has been written that “Coley rips across the strings of the hammered dulcimer with abandon bordering on delirium!” (Linda Shapiro, Chicago Press Review).

Matthew has performed in over 35 US states, 10 countries, and as a soloist with ensembles/organizations throughout the US and abroad including Clocks in Motion Percussion, Cedar Valley Chamber Music Festival, University of Denver Percussion Ensemble, Sudar Percussion of Croatia, San Francisco Sinfonietta, Kurpfalzisches Kammerorchester Mannheim, and Moldavian Philharmonic and Teleradio Symphony Orchestras.

Tony Miceli

Internationally renowned jazz vibraphonist Tony Miceli has established himself as one of the primary voices on the mallet instrument, winning hearts and minds wherever he plays. His achievements, however, go much further beyond. A sought-after recording artist, Miceli is an inspired educator who delivers vibraphone master classes the world over, enriching the students of Ireland, Germany, South Korea, Italy, for example, with an accompanying concert finale. Miceli promotes the instrument through his brainchild, vibesworkshop.com, a virtual meeting place and teaching tool for some 4000 student and professional members. He is also the co-creator of the World Vibes Congress, a formal gathering of players who share the desire to bring public awareness to the vibraphone. It is worth noting that Miceli is part of Team Omega, an elite group of vibes players that includes only three others, headliners David Friedman, Joe Locke, and Stefon Harris. At All About Jazz, Victor Schermer describes him as

“... a vibraphonist of astonishing virtuosity, musical resilience,
and inventiveness. His vibes playing is nothing short of
phenomenal.”

Christos Rafalides

Christos was born and raised in Greece, where he completed his studies in classical percussion. After receiving a scholarship from Berklee College of Music, he moved to Boston, attaining a BA in Jazz Vibraphone Performance and later moved to New York, where he graduated from Manhattan School of Music earning his MA in Jazz Vibraphone Performance. 

Christos found his personal voice when he established 'Manhattan Vibes’, a band that has appeared at numerous New York's cutting edge venues including the Blue Note, the Jazz Standard, Smoke Jazz Club and Dizzy's Club Coca Cola. Highlights of his career include performances with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and Wynton Marsalis, a US tour with the Charles Mingus ‘Epitaph' Band featuring bassist Christian McBride and conductor Gunther Schuller, a recording with the Harmony Ensemble of NY of Henry Mancini’s 'Peter Gunn' featuring Lew Soloff, Ronnie Cuber and Victor Lewis, recordings with vocalist Chaka Khan and a duo performance Carnegie Hall with pianist Sergio Salvatore.

Behn Gillece

Having spent many years deeply embedded in the vibrant jazz scenes of New York and Philadelphia, Behn Gillece has carved out a distinguished reputation as both a virtuosic vibraphonist and a prolific composer. Drawing inspiration from luminaries like Milt Jackson, Gary Burton and Bobby Hutcherson, Gillece has dedicated himself to pushing the boundaries of vibraphone artistry while leaving an indelible mark on the jazz landscape as a composer. Hailing from New Jersey, Gillece honed his craft through numerous performance opportunities in his home state and Philadelphia before making

the leap to New York City in 2006. Since then, he has solidified his status as a sought-after sideman, as well as a formidable bandleader and recording artist.

His latest album, "Stick Together" (2024, Posi-Tone), is a testament to the power of collaboration and synergy. Teaming up with esteemed musicians such as pianist Art Hirahara, bassist Boris Kozlov, and drummer Rudy Royston, Gillece crafts musical creations imbued with an undeniable sense of joy and ease.

From 2009 to 2013, Gillece co-led four transformative recordings on Posi-Tone with tenor saxophonist Ken Fowser, garnering international acclaim and extensive streaming and radio play. His albums as a leader— including "Mindset" (2015), "Dare To Be" (2016), "Walk Of Fire" (2017), "Parallel Universe" (2018), "Still Doing Our Thing" (2021), and "Between The Bars" (2023)— propelled him into the spotlight, earning him a 2018 Downbeat Rising Star award. Additionally, Gillece has lent his talents as a sideman to various acclaimed recordings, collaborating with artists such as Patrick Cornelius, Michael Dease, New Faces, Walt Weiskopf, Melody Gardot, Idle Hands, Out To Dinner, and Ensemble Novo.

Gillece's performances have reached prestigious venues worldwide, including the Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, Kimmel Center, Smalls Jazz Club, Mezzrow, Jazz Standard, Side Door, Smoke Jazz Club, Fat Cat, Yoshi's, Chris’ Jazz Cafe, as well as renowned festivals such as North Sea, Montreux, Nice, Molde, Ghent, Montreal, and Toronto festivals.

In addition to his robust performance life, Gillece also has a burgeoning career as a music educator. Gillece is a member of the faculty at Rowan University, where he teaches vibraphone, jazz ensemble, music theory, and online courses. In addition to the various workshops he has been asked to give at colleges and universities across the world, he has prepared over 700 lessons for online instruction on vibesworkshop.com, which benefits percussion students internationally.

A recipient of numerous accolades, including the 2018 Downbeat Rising Star Vibraphonist award, Gillece holds a master's degree from SUNY Purchase and is endorsed by Malletech instruments. Other honors include the 2009 Betty Carter Jazz Ahead residency, winning the Generations competition in 2009, and winning the 2008 Jazz Improvisation competition at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention. For more information on Behn Gillece, to purchase albums, or to view his upcoming performance schedule, visit his website at https://www.behngillece.com.

Oliver Mayman

From Ann Arbor, MI, and now based in Philadelphia, Oliver Mayman is a vibraphonist, composer, arranger, and educator. Beginning on the drums and piano, the vibraphone was an inevitable discovery as a teenager – the instrument essentially fusing the mechanics of drumming with the harmonic capabilities of the piano. Since then, he has quickly become a distinguished voice on the instrument, redefining its role in music through an inventive technical approach and a discerning creative ear. 

He has performed as a bandleader across the Midwest and East Coast at storied venues like Cliff Bell’s, the Blue LLama, and Chris’ Jazz Cafe, and has also been featured in several larger, iconic events like the Detroit Jazz Festival and the World Vibes Congress. Additionally a sought-after accompanist and sideman, he has performed in countless other venues with various groups, and aims to play the vibraphone as a suitable alternative to the piano, capable of fully assuming a rhythmically and harmonically supportive role in any setting.

He also has extensive experience as an educator, teaching a full private studio of vibraphone students in addition to being on faculty at vibesworkshop.com, the largest online vibraphone community in the world. With a unique approach and pedagogical method to the instrument, he advocates his own novel dampening techniques, adaptations of pianistic ideas, and other innovative 4-mallet concepts, in addition to the fundamentals required by any modern musician. He is also the author of “Dampening Studies,” a comprehensive method for dampening on the vibraphone.

In 2022, he was selected as a Yamaha Young Performing Artist Competition jazz winner. He was also a member of the 2022 JM Jazz World Orchestra, which tours Europe each summer. In 2021, he won the Italy Percussive Arts Society jazz vibraphone competition, the largest of its kind. He also received a Downbeat Magazine student award for outstanding combo (2019) and outstanding soloist (2020) and was awarded second place in the junior open division at the prestigious 2018 M-Prize International Chamber Arts Competition.

Morgan Wallbridge

Morgan Walbridge is a professional musician and composer based in Philadelphia, PA.
She performs her own original music for solo vibraphone and frequently collaborates with other local musicians in ensembles of all sizes. Morgan is also a freelance session musician, recording over 50 projects from her home studio each year.

Morgan has been studying music since the age of 4, beginning on piano and playing percussion in school programs from the age of 8. She began her music career as a drum-set player and percussionist, performing in various small groups and pit orchestras at the age of 14 in her hometown of Rochester, NY. Morgan has a wide range of musical influences including jazz, fusion, rock, R&B, and pop.

In 2020, Morgan completed a B.M. in Instrumental Performance from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA with a specialization in Percussion and minor in Music Business, Entrepreneurship, & Technology.

She currently offers private instruction in Mallet Percussion, Drum-Set & Percussion, Composition, and Music Theory. Morgan also offers services in music transcription.