Charles Owen was an esteemed American percussionist, born on September 1, 1912, in Kinsman, Ohio, and he passed away on April 17, 1985. Over the course of an impressive 50-year career, Owen made significant contributions to the world of music. He grew up in Youngstown, Ohio, where he attended Rayen High School and honed his skills on the bassoon, trombone, and percussion. Following high school, he studied percussion under Malcolm Gerloch of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.
In 1934, Owen joined the U.S. Marine Band in Washington, D.C., where he continued his education in timpani with Saul Goodman, a member of the New York Philharmonic, and earned a Bachelor of Music Degree from Catholic University. As a Marimba Soloist and timpanist with the Marine Band and Orchestra, directed by Colonel Taylor Branson and Colonel William Santelmann, Owen was a prominent feature in concerts, radio broadcasts, and annual tours from 1934 to 1954, performing as a marimba soloist in every state across the country.
Owen was not only a performer but also an accomplished arranger, transcribing an extensive library of solo works for xylophone and marimba. Notably, he published a version of his solo, "Chopsticks," in 1941. After two decades with the Marine Band, he took on the role of Principal Percussionist with the Philadelphia Orchestra, where he performed subscription concerts in Philadelphia, New York City, and Baltimore for 18 years under the baton of Eugene Ormandy and other distinguished conductors. Among his notable recordings was the Creston "Concertino for Marimba," which was historically significant as the first solo marimba work recorded by a major symphony orchestra. He also contributed extensively to the symphonic repertoire, recording with Columbia and RCA labels, and collaborated with the Philadelphia Brass Ensemble and other freelance engagements, including Capitol Records. Owen also performed with the Philadelphia Grand Opera, Lyric Opera, and the Philadelphia Percussion Ensemble.
In addition to his performance career, Owen was deeply involved in education. While with the Philadelphia Orchestra, he established the percussion department at Temple University in Pennsylvania and taught at institutions such as the Ambler Music Festival, the Philadelphia Music Academy, and the Saratoga School of Orchestra Studies in New York. He actively conducted percussion demonstrations and workshops, becoming a sought-after clinician on various aspects of percussion performance. Known for his craftsmanship, he often made his own sticks and mallets.
As the head of the percussion department at Temple University, Owen led the percussion ensemble, which performed at notable venues such as the Academy of Music alongside the Philadelphia Orchestra in a children's concert, Town Hall in New York, and various concerts at Temple University and local schools. He frequently organized percussion workshop recitals, provided students with a steady stream of solo literature, and created a percussion maintenance class.
In 1972, after 18 years with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Owen accepted a position as Professor of Percussion at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. There, his percussion ensembles produced recordings, including "Re-Percussion" in 1984, as well as collaborations with the University of Michigan Percussion and Tuba Ensembles. During the summers, he performed at the Casals Festivals in Puerto Rico and led the percussion department at the Aspen Music Festival in Colorado for many years, also teaching at the Grand Teton Orchestral Seminar.
A dedicated member of the Percussive Arts Society, Owen served on its Board of Directors, founded and presided over the Michigan PAS Chapter, and edited the "Symphonic Percussion" column in Percussive Notes for several years. His contributions to the field were recognized when he was inducted into the PAS Hall of Fame in 1981.
