Saul Goodman Biography

Saul Goodman was a timpanist in the New York Philharmonic orchestra from 1926 to 1972. Saul learned under the instruction of Alfred Friese, whom he succeeded as principal timpanist in the New York Philharmonic. He also was a member of the faculty at the Juilliard School of Music where he taught many who went on to become timpanists in symphony orchestras around the world. Students include Vic Firth (retired, Boston Symphony Orchestra), William Kraft (retired, Los Angeles Philharmonic), Roland Kohloff (deceased, New York Philharmonic), Eugene Espino (deceased, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra), Jim Rago (Louisville Orchestra), Rick Holmes (St. Louis Symphony Orchestra), Tony Cirone (retired, San Francisco Symphony Orchestra) and Dick Horowitz (New York Metropolitan Opera). During his career Saul made innovations in drum and mallet construction, including a tuning system for drums and a line of timpani mallets.