Sonata for Timpani is composed in three movements Mysteriously Jazz-Like and Fast and includes unusual techniques like striking the bowl of the timpani rolling between two drums striking the timpani with fingers and playingin the centre of the head. The work is now a standard in the solo timpani repertoire.American composer Percussionist conductor and educator John Beck is now Professor Emeritus of Percussion at the Eastman School of Music inRochester New York after nearly fifty years on the faculty. In addition to his long performing recording and teaching career he has also published the Encyclopedia of Percussion.