Audiophile Audition Staff Biographies
Published on January 22, 2010
Peter Bates
has been listening to classical music for over forty years. At his junior prom, instead of singing “Johnny Angel” in his date’s ear while slow dancing, he hummed the "Marche au supplice" from Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique. In college he reviewed musical performances for the Bates College Student. For about five years he wrote reviews of classical recordings for Classical disCDigest. On his web site Stylus (www.stylus.batescommunications.net), he reviews local performances of classical music and jazz of such groups as the Boston Symphony, the Boston Philharmonic, the Boston Chamber Music Players, and solo performers. He has been writing for Audiophile Audition since its inception in 1998. He works as a technical consultant for Analog Devices, plays the recorder, is an avid photographer and an often outrageous poet. He listens to music everywhere, in his car, on his Sandisk Sansa MP3 player while elliptically cross-training, on his JVC RX-8040B AV receiver, Pioneer DV-676A DVD player, Snell 5.1 surround speaker system, and Grado Reference Series headphones.
Mike Birman
Began playing piano at the age of seven, string instruments a few years later. At the age of 14, began playing professionally in the New York area. Played with different ensembles and groups over the following 20 years, primarily as a freelance musician. Was also a musical director for several off-Broadway theater productions. Studied Music and English Literature, earning a degree for both. Later pursued graduate studies in Molecular Biology as his childhood interest in science was rekindled. Currently listens to or watches the classical and jazz performances that constitute the music collection he has assembled over 45 years, and of which he is immodestly proud. He reads incessantly, mostly literature, music, history, mathematics and science. He also writes, finding it invaluable in slowly making sense of the accumulated clutter of life.
System: Yamaha RX-V4600 7.1 AV receiver, Pioneer Elite DV-47Ai SACD/DVD-Audio /CD/DVD player, 5 RBH 661-SE/R speakers, 2 RBH 61-SE/R speakers, RBH 1212-SE 400 watt powered subwoofer, hardwood floors and 14' ceiling.
has been listening to classical music for over forty years. At his junior prom, instead of singing “Johnny Angel” in his date’s ear while slow dancing, he hummed the "Marche au supplice" from Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique. In college he reviewed musical performances for the Bates College Student. For about five years he wrote reviews of classical recordings for Classical disCDigest. On his web site Stylus (www.stylus.batescommunications.net), he reviews local performances of classical music and jazz of such groups as the Boston Symphony, the Boston Philharmonic, the Boston Chamber Music Players, and solo performers. He has been writing for Audiophile Audition since its inception in 1998. He works as a technical consultant for Analog Devices, plays the recorder, is an avid photographer and an often outrageous poet. He listens to music everywhere, in his car, on his Sandisk Sansa MP3 player while elliptically cross-training, on his JVC RX-8040B AV receiver, Pioneer DV-676A DVD player, Snell 5.1 surround speaker system, and Grado Reference Series headphones.
Mike Birman
Began playing piano at the age of seven, string instruments a few years later. At the age of 14, began playing professionally in the New York area. Played with different ensembles and groups over the following 20 years, primarily as a freelance musician. Was also a musical director for several off-Broadway theater productions. Studied Music and English Literature, earning a degree for both. Later pursued graduate studies in Molecular Biology as his childhood interest in science was rekindled. Currently listens to or watches the classical and jazz performances that constitute the music collection he has assembled over 45 years, and of which he is immodestly proud. He reads incessantly, mostly literature, music, history, mathematics and science. He also writes, finding it invaluable in slowly making sense of the accumulated clutter of life.
System: Yamaha RX-V4600 7.1 AV receiver, Pioneer Elite DV-47Ai SACD/DVD-Audio /CD/DVD player, 5 RBH 661-SE/R speakers, 2 RBH 61-SE/R speakers, RBH 1212-SE 400 watt powered subwoofer, hardwood floors and 14' ceiling.
Tom Gibbs
A Journalism major with a minor in Commercial Art, his early experience with newspapers soon transitioned toward the advertising field; is currently with publishing giant R.R. Donnelley (last eighteen years). Handles the creative and presentation needs of the Chamblee (Atlanta, GA) division, and also function as a Prinergy-qualified senior electronic prepress operator. For the last seven years has moonlighted at Delta Air Lines, working on publications of Delta’s Corporate Communications division. He currently holds staff reviewer positions with both Audiophile Audition and Positive Feedback Online.
A lifelong lover of music, Tom’s first exposure came at an early age from the Henry Mancini and Bert Kaempfert records his mom played; not too long after, his older siblings began spinning early Beatles and Stones. When his older brother returned from a stint in the armed forces with a truckload of audio gear, he was transformed into something of a hardware geek as well. That fascination with all things electronic continues to this day and has now morphed into a listening room/home theater. He has recently been dabbling in the black arts of iPods and MP3s. Tom is a lifelong outdoorsman of sorts, and enjoys hiking and backpacking. He and his wife are in the early planning stages of an excursion to the Nepal/Bhutan/Tibet region, with a mandatory trek to the Everest base camp.
Randy Haldeman, Ph.D.
A native of Wisconsin, Randy Haldeman has taught Choral and General Music in all levels of academia – Pre-K through collegiate - in Wisconsin, Idaho, Illinois, Florida, Vermont, and Italy. He earned the Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater, the Master of Music degree in Voice and Opera Performance from Northwestern University, and the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Music Education (Choral Conducting emphasis) from The Florida State University. In addition to his musical life, for many years Haldeman earned his living as a recording engineer and technician. His recordings have found their way to NPR’s Performance Today, Fresh Air with Terri Gross, PBS, and many local channels. Audio work has included collaborations with performers such as William Warfield, Sherrill Milnes, Tori Amos, Bill Morrissey, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Garrison Keillor, and (my favorite) Marcel Marceau.
I have three mid-fi setups:
The “suite retreat” is where I would do initial, sustained critical listening. Currently, it holds a Denon AVR 3806 receiver, the Denon DVD 5910 Universal player, a Music Hall MMF-5 turntable w/ Goldring 1012GX cartridge (stock cartridge), a Pro-Ject Phono Box SE, Tannoy Sensys DC2 series speakers (complete surround-sound set), a Bag End Infrasub-18, Sennheiser HD-595 and Grado SR-80 headphones. Movies are projected onto a 120” white screen via a Sony Cineza HS-51 projector. I also do a lot of listening in my office, mostly for score study and so forth. Currently, it holds a Denon AVR-1801 receiver, HK DC-520 cassette deck, Oppo 970HD Universal Player, Tascam DA-40 DAT, Music Hall mmf 2.1 turntable (with Goldring Elan cartridge), Sennheiser HD600 and Grado SR-125 headphones, Grado RA-1 headphone amp, Acoustic Research 302 speakers, M&K Sub, and Bose 301s as surrounds. I find that I am using my headphones more and more for concentrated listening at school. The family room has a Denon AVR-2308CI, Denon DVD 3910 Universal player, TiVo Series 2 (mod), and a Wharfedale Diamond 9.6 surround speaker system.
A native of Wisconsin, Randy Haldeman has taught Choral and General Music in all levels of academia – Pre-K through collegiate - in Wisconsin, Idaho, Illinois, Florida, Vermont, and Italy. He earned the Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater, the Master of Music degree in Voice and Opera Performance from Northwestern University, and the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Music Education (Choral Conducting emphasis) from The Florida State University. In addition to his musical life, for many years Haldeman earned his living as a recording engineer and technician. His recordings have found their way to NPR’s Performance Today, Fresh Air with Terri Gross, PBS, and many local channels. Audio work has included collaborations with performers such as William Warfield, Sherrill Milnes, Tori Amos, Bill Morrissey, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Garrison Keillor, and (my favorite) Marcel Marceau.
I have three mid-fi setups:
The “suite retreat” is where I would do initial, sustained critical listening. Currently, it holds a Denon AVR 3806 receiver, the Denon DVD 5910 Universal player, a Music Hall MMF-5 turntable w/ Goldring 1012GX cartridge (stock cartridge), a Pro-Ject Phono Box SE, Tannoy Sensys DC2 series speakers (complete surround-sound set), a Bag End Infrasub-18, Sennheiser HD-595 and Grado SR-80 headphones. Movies are projected onto a 120” white screen via a Sony Cineza HS-51 projector. I also do a lot of listening in my office, mostly for score study and so forth. Currently, it holds a Denon AVR-1801 receiver, HK DC-520 cassette deck, Oppo 970HD Universal Player, Tascam DA-40 DAT, Music Hall mmf 2.1 turntable (with Goldring Elan cartridge), Sennheiser HD600 and Grado SR-125 headphones, Grado RA-1 headphone amp, Acoustic Research 302 speakers, M&K Sub, and Bose 301s as surrounds. I find that I am using my headphones more and more for concentrated listening at school. The family room has a Denon AVR-2308CI, Denon DVD 3910 Universal player, TiVo Series 2 (mod), and a Wharfedale Diamond 9.6 surround speaker system.
Calvin Harding Jr.
Calvin has been actively involved in the home theater industry since 1985. He is the editor and principal staff writer for Entertainment Gazette, a print publication launched in Central Florida in 1999. Calvin reviews home theater components, DVD movies, and video game software. In addition to his reviews for Audiophile Audition, some of Calvin's reviews have also been featured on websites including Studio Experience, Projectorcentral, Smarthome, and Clark Synthesis. Calvin has a bachelor's and master's degree from the University of Central Florida and a doctorate from the University of Florida.
Peter Joelson
Peter Joelson
started piano lessons aged four, joining them with organ lessons at 12 when he got a position as organist at his local church. A Science graduate, he taught Mathematics and was also Assistant then Director of Music as well. He enjoyed the trips to sing Evensong at various cathedrals, playing the organ at the services. He knew he'd reached his limits after being allowed to practise out of hours at Westminster Cathedral. He's given concerts in chamber groups in the beautiful Dorset countryside of England. He's very enthusiastic about high resolution formats and about careful, musical remastering of old recordings. He enjoys listening to a wide variety of music, from Bach to Charles Trenet, Julia Fischer to Barnabas von Geczy, Toscanini to Furtwaengler, Schnabel to Sudbin, and he has every volume of the Guild Light Music series in his collection.
System: Linn Unidisk SC/LK140x2, Activ cards, Keilidh speakers, Denon A11 uni player, Audiolab amp, Celestion SL6 speakers
Hermon Joyner
Hermon Joyner is a freelance writer and photographer living in Portland, Oregon. A one-time music major, he sings and plays the trumpet, violin, and mandolin. For a few years, he was the music director for a small church. Joyner has a Masters in Professional Writing from PSU in Portland, Oregon and is the author of Visual/Haiku, a handmade artist’s book about Japanese Gardens in the Pacific Northwest and Focus on Photography, a photography textbook published by Davis Publications. His taste in music is eclectic and includes Baroque, Romantic, 20th Century Classical, most genres of Jazz, Celtic, Bluegrass, and Indie Rock. He also writes two blogs: focusonphotography.blogspot.com (dealing with issues about photography) and focusonwriting.blogspot.com (which deals with miscellaneous topics such as music, movies, and popular culture).
System: Linn Unidisk SC/LK140x2, Activ cards, Keilidh speakers, Denon A11 uni player, Audiolab amp, Celestion SL6 speakers
Hermon Joyner
Hermon Joyner is a freelance writer and photographer living in Portland, Oregon. A one-time music major, he sings and plays the trumpet, violin, and mandolin. For a few years, he was the music director for a small church. Joyner has a Masters in Professional Writing from PSU in Portland, Oregon and is the author of Visual/Haiku, a handmade artist’s book about Japanese Gardens in the Pacific Northwest and Focus on Photography, a photography textbook published by Davis Publications. His taste in music is eclectic and includes Baroque, Romantic, 20th Century Classical, most genres of Jazz, Celtic, Bluegrass, and Indie Rock. He also writes two blogs: focusonphotography.blogspot.com (dealing with issues about photography) and focusonwriting.blogspot.com (which deals with miscellaneous topics such as music, movies, and popular culture).
Jeff Krow
has been a jazz fanatic for over 30 years. Graduated from California State University, Chico, did a KCSC-FM college jazz radio show. Has 5000+ CD Jazz collection. His jazz genre favorites are hard bop, big band, West Coast jazz (50s-60s), soul jazz, and small group swing era. He attends many live sessions and his favorite jazz instrument is the trumpet.
Patrick P.L. Lam
Born in Hong Kong, Patrick holds the A.R.C.T. diplomas for Performers and Teachers from the Royal Conservatory of Music. He received both his undergraduate and graduate degrees in the Life Sciences at the University of Toronto, where his doctoral research was in the fields of Diabetes and Pancreatitis. He has been the recipient of awards, including those from the American Diabetes Association, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Hong Kong Medical Association. He has made scientific contributions in his field with the help of his mentor, Prof. Herbert Y. Gaisano, with publications made available on PubMed. When away from work, Classical Music remains faithfully his No. 1 passion for over two decades. He has been a music critic and writer for both local and international publications abroad, where his articles have been quoted by colleagues and organizations, such as the HKPO. He is presently the principal writer at MusicWeb International, reporting for both Canada and Hong Kong, respectively.
System: NAD L40 Receiver, Sony DVP-NS3100ES SACD/CD/DVD player, B&W DM601 speakers.
Born in Hong Kong, Patrick holds the A.R.C.T. diplomas for Performers and Teachers from the Royal Conservatory of Music. He received both his undergraduate and graduate degrees in the Life Sciences at the University of Toronto, where his doctoral research was in the fields of Diabetes and Pancreatitis. He has been the recipient of awards, including those from the American Diabetes Association, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Hong Kong Medical Association. He has made scientific contributions in his field with the help of his mentor, Prof. Herbert Y. Gaisano, with publications made available on PubMed. When away from work, Classical Music remains faithfully his No. 1 passion for over two decades. He has been a music critic and writer for both local and international publications abroad, where his articles have been quoted by colleagues and organizations, such as the HKPO. He is presently the principal writer at MusicWeb International, reporting for both Canada and Hong Kong, respectively.
System: NAD L40 Receiver, Sony DVP-NS3100ES SACD/CD/DVD player, B&W DM601 speakers.
Gary Lemco
B.A. & M. A., SUNY Binghamton, NY; M.A. & PH.D., GA State University. Music studies with Carmine Arena, Philip Friedheim, Emanuel Winternitz, and Jean Casadesus. Host of The Music Treasury, WHRW-FM 1966-68 & 1970-75; Guest critic on WQXR’s nationally-distributed First Hearing, 1984-1999; Writer, Musical America and Classical DisCDigest; Contributor to Audiophile Audition & Classicalmusicguide.com. Member, Music Critics Association of North America. Author: Nietzsche as Educator; articles on Hemingway, Hawthorne, Bellow, Shelley, Fitzgerald, H. James, Orwell, D. H. Lawrence, Ellison. Specialist in reviewing reissues of great performers of the past.
Robert Moon
Robert Moon is a freelance classical music journalist who wrote the internationally recognized book on London/Decca early stereo classical records, Full Frequency Stereophonic Sound. He writes for Strings Magazine, San Francisco Classical Voice and Audiophile Audition. He holds an MA Degree in Arts Administration from University of Wisconsin. The arts organizations he has served in administrative capacities include the National Endowment for the Arts, the Kansas Arts Commission and the Minnesota Orchestra. Listening to his extensive record and CD collection and attending concerts in the San Francisco Bay Area reminds him that music is an essential force that integrates mind, heart and spirit.
John Nastos
John Nastos plays reeds and was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. Before he was out of high school, John was enrolled at Portland State University, studying under Darrell Grant, Alan Jones, Charles Gray, and Rob Scheps. After Portland State, John went on to get his Bachelor’s degree in jazz at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City, where he finished the four-year undergraduate degree in three years. While there, he had the opportunity to study composition and saxophone with Bob Mintzer, Dick Oatts, Steve Wilson, and Michael Abene.
John has performed around the Northwest and in New York City with artists such as the Mel Brown Septet and B3 Quartet, Gordon Lee’s Big Band, Auditory Sculpture, Rob Scheps, Ben Darwish, Drew Shoals, Dan Schulte, and more. He has played at many major festivals, including the Mt. Hood Jazz Festival, Portland Jazz Festival, and Ellensburg Jazz Festival. In addition to performing and teaching in Portland, John is webmaster for JazzPDX.org, oregonmusicnews.com, and AUDIOPHILE AUDITION.com
John Nemaric
has been involved with classical music and to some extent early jazz since 1947. He has attended several hundred live concerts since that time. He received his B.A. in Anthropology at the University of California Santa Cruz and his Ph.D. in Archeology from Tudor College in the UK. Within anthropology he specialized in human complex systems, computerized modeling/simulation and ethnomusicology with particular emphasis in musical forms from Africa, Europe and South America. He has also reviewed classical music for a number of years. Presently he is researching the history of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and the life of its former conductor William Steinberg. He also teaches (PT) courses related to the history of classical music, opera and ballet at Carnegie Mellon University. His favorite instrument is the Wagner B-flat tuba.
System: Yamaha HTR-5940 6.1 AV receiver, Pioneer DV-578A SACD/CD/DVD player, custom-modified full range three-way speakers for surround, a custom built (by himself) subwoofer, makes all his own cables from pure copper or silver.
John has performed around the Northwest and in New York City with artists such as the Mel Brown Septet and B3 Quartet, Gordon Lee’s Big Band, Auditory Sculpture, Rob Scheps, Ben Darwish, Drew Shoals, Dan Schulte, and more. He has played at many major festivals, including the Mt. Hood Jazz Festival, Portland Jazz Festival, and Ellensburg Jazz Festival. In addition to performing and teaching in Portland, John is webmaster for JazzPDX.org, oregonmusicnews.com, and AUDIOPHILE AUDITION.com
John Nemaric
has been involved with classical music and to some extent early jazz since 1947. He has attended several hundred live concerts since that time. He received his B.A. in Anthropology at the University of California Santa Cruz and his Ph.D. in Archeology from Tudor College in the UK. Within anthropology he specialized in human complex systems, computerized modeling/simulation and ethnomusicology with particular emphasis in musical forms from Africa, Europe and South America. He has also reviewed classical music for a number of years. Presently he is researching the history of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and the life of its former conductor William Steinberg. He also teaches (PT) courses related to the history of classical music, opera and ballet at Carnegie Mellon University. His favorite instrument is the Wagner B-flat tuba.
System: Yamaha HTR-5940 6.1 AV receiver, Pioneer DV-578A SACD/CD/DVD player, custom-modified full range three-way speakers for surround, a custom built (by himself) subwoofer, makes all his own cables from pure copper or silver.
Lee Passarella
Lee caught the classical music bug in high school and hasn’t stopped listening since. When he moved from Philadelphia to Atlanta in the late 80s, he had to jettison around 6,000 LPs. Now he’s trying to hit the same mark with CDs and SACDs. Lee played clarinet (atrociously) and trumpet (pretty well) in high school, studied piano for over ten years, and sang in choruses in college and grad school. His fondest memory from those days is singing the German Requiem with the fabulous Curtis Symphony Orchestra.
Lee wrote classical music reviews for the New Records for ten plus years, keeping his hand in by offering his two cents’ worth on Amazon.com. He’s also published three books of poetry and acts as senior literary editor for Atlanta Review magazine. For a living, he turns to technical writing. Lee received a Ph.D. in English from the University of Pennsylvania.
Lee wrote classical music reviews for the New Records for ten plus years, keeping his hand in by offering his two cents’ worth on Amazon.com. He’s also published three books of poetry and acts as senior literary editor for Atlanta Review magazine. For a living, he turns to technical writing. Lee received a Ph.D. in English from the University of Pennsylvania.
Steven Ritter
Studies at Indiana University with Eugene Rousseau (sax) and University of North Carolina at Greensboro with Raymond Gariglio (clarinet and winds), composition (Jack Jarrett), and Peter Paul Fuchs (conducting). B.A. in Music History and Theory. Writing professionally for 20 years now with American Record Guide, Fanfare, and Audiophile Audition. A priest in the Orthodox Church (which has a continuing tradition of excellence in its musical heritage), and has also developed a great love for ancient church chants of all kinds, and choral music in general - aside from the great symphonic and chamber music treasures of the world. Contributed to many publications musical and theological, and authored a book: That Your Joy May Be Full - Crossroads of Orthodox Faith and Life. Steven is a composer and arranger of Orthodox Church music.
System: Onkyo TZ-DS494 receiver, Sony DVP-NC875V SACD/CD/DVD player, Mirage M595ls tower frontal speakers, Boston Acoustic surrounds, Infinity sub, and a large 18’ x 25’ listening room with 15’ ceiling and hardwood floor.
Doug Simpson
B.A. in Broadcasting with an emphasis on film criticism, California State University, Los Angeles. Worked as an U.S. Navy broadcast journalist for 5 years, including a stint as radio station manager. Has been an avid music collector for 30+ years. His lifelong obsession with music came at an early age growing up in Alaska, due to his father’s extensive classical music collection, and blossomed when he first heard rock and jazz in junior high. He has written music reviews and features for several print and online publications, including Skyscraper, Campus Circle, InSound, The Scene L.A., The Silver Lake Local, and News4U. He currently works as a graphic artist and music analyst for a Los Angeles market research company.
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