Mr. Lachman has been Principal Percussionist for the Band for over ten years. He has a B.A. cum laude in history from Amherst College and was subsequently awarded a fellowship in history to study at Oxford University, where he attended St. Edmund's Hall. He also attended an executive education program at the Harvard Business School during the 1980's.
The Early Years: In a calculated effort to get out of third grade class, Mr. Lachman volunteered to try out drums in the school band. He was surprised to find that he had an immediate affinity for it and has been playing percussion ever since. His most influential music teacher was Morris Goldenberg who was Toscanini's lead percussionist. While in high school, he was honored to be Mr. Goldenberg's student at Juilliard. Mr. Goldenberg set the standard for mallet playing in that era, and his mallet book is still the primary teaching book for mallets.
Career highlights: Mr. Lachman’s career path has been primarily in finance. He started his career at the Morgan Bank, worked for the American Can Company, and managed several small companies for private equity investors. Subsequently, 15 years ago, he went into investment banking and is now a partner at a small investment banking firm in New York called Corporate Fuel, which provides advisory services and capital to middle market companies.
Musical Moments: Mr. Lachman said, “My most memorable musical moment would probably be my participation in a performance of Bartok's Sonata for Two Percussion and Piano at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center in the 1970's shortly after graduating from college. I played the piece with one other young percussionist from Mount Holyoke College and two faculty pianists from Smith College. My other most memorable musical moment came from my childhood, playing Liszt's Les Preludes in the final concert in my last summer session at Interlochen. I played the lead timpani part, which was a great thrill for me.”
Instrument and Practice Routine: Mr. Lachman currently plays a three and a half octave marimba that he handpicked from the factory in Illinois. His favorite practice routine is playing the Bach Cello Sonatas on the marimba
Benefits of Playing With the RCB: Mr. Lachman said, “The impact of the Band on me has been significant. It provides me with a creative outlet that is so different from my day to day life, and gives me a reason to keep my skills up.”
Other Interests: Sports (tennis and golf), his wife and children