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Principal Timpani, Michael and Susan Newburger Chair

Timothy Jepson

Timothy Jepson became principal timpanist of the Kansas City Symphony in August 1983. Jepson is a native of rural western Iowa and began his career as a professional timpanist at age 18. He graduated with honors from Morningside University in Sioux City, Iowa. Jepson has played percussion with the Kansas City Brass as well as timpani and percussion with the Sunflower and Western Slope music festivals. He has been an active clinician, adjudicator and marching percussion specialist and served on the faculty of Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas. Tim enjoys collecting antique timpani. His oldest pair are German Baroque timpani built in 1750. He currently owns several mid to late 19th century timpani from Paris, Rotterdam, and Altenburg. He most recently acquired four early 20th century pedal timpani built in Chicago, IL. All the restoration is performed at Precision Classic Timpani in Portage, MI and Tim often uses these instruments on period appropriate repertoire with the Symphony


Timothy Jepson became principal timpanist of the Kansas City Symphony in August 1983. Jepson is a native of rural western Iowa and began his career as a professional timpanist at age 18. He graduated with honors from Morningside University in Sioux City, Iowa. Jepson has played percussion with the Kansas City Brass as well as timpani and percussion with the Sunflower and Western Slope music festivals. He has been an active clinician, adjudicator and marching percussion specialist and served on the faculty of Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas. Tim enjoys collecting antique timpani. His oldest pair are German Baroque timpani built in 1750. He currently owns several mid to late 19th century timpani from Paris, Rotterdam, and Altenburg. He most recently acquired four early 20th century pedal timpani built in Chicago, IL. All the restoration is performed at Precision Classic Timpani in Portage, MI and Tim often uses these instruments on period appropriate repertoire with the Symphony

Mozart Symphonies 39, 40, and 41. Odd numbered Beethoven Symphonies, Brahms’ Symphonies 1 and 2, Handel’s “Messiah”.

“Wilson”

During the season I’m either studying or listening to unfamiliar music to be performed, practicing and marking parts with tuning set ups and pitch changes, and/or touching up excerpts on familiar works. I have a set of 4 timpani at home for working out passages and also practice on the actual performance timpani in the storage room of the Kauffman Center. In the summers I take a few weeks off to rest muscles and tendons then start playing very softly and slowly to re-evaluate fundamentals.

Beethoven. Barbeque…Duh!

Being a flawed but loving dad.

The friendships and “family” that develop working so closely with such talented people.

Goat cheese, roasted red pepper, caramelized onion, fresh basil and a very expensive balsamic vinegar.

NO. In hindsight, playing drums and timpani came too easily to me. Between that and perhaps a little attention deficit, I hated to practice until I matured.

Auditioning and becoming a member of the Kansas City Symphony.