James Wyman
by Jacob Jahiel
James Wyman
TIMPANI PRINCIPAL , LEVI FAMILY CHAIR
From Latin , “ Audax et Vigilans ” roughly translates to “ Daring and Vigilant .” It ’ s a good motto for an orchestral percussionist , a job that requires both bravery and laser focus , and the words are tattooed on the shoulder of Baltimore Symphony Orchestra timpanist James Wyman , just below his family ’ s coat of arms .
While he is an accomplished musician , nothing gives Wyman more pride than his family : wife Beth , two middle-school-aged sons , and a six-year-old daughter . He spends hours each week watching his kids ’ soccer practice , often coaching from the sidelines . Both sons also play percussion , and his daughter does gymnastics and dance — “ I ’ m a proud dance dad ,” he reports .
Off-stage , Wyman unwinds in what his kids calls his “ old man chair ,” sneaking down to the studio to play a Mozart sonata on the piano , or engaging his neighborhood FedEx driver in the occasional pickup game of basketball .
And then there is his second home : “ I live in Home Depot !” he exclaims , the result of the myriad construction projects taken up on the side . Heavy manual labor may be an unusual pastime for a professional musician , but his close attention to detail — just the kind of thing that makes him an excellent timpanist — translates well to building .
It all started with a few innocent home projects . “ Every husband has to be a little handy ,” Wyman claims . But during the pandemic , neighbors began enlisting his help , and now construction often takes up hours of his day . ( For those that fear for his musical longevity , he insists he has an excellent chiropractor ).
“ I like construction .” But pointing to the concert hall , he remarks , “ I love what I do here .”
Throughout his 10 years with the BSO , Wyman has spent enormous effort reviving and maintaining the Orchestra ’ s percussion instruments — in music , as in construction , you need the right tools . But it ’ s not just about getting to play on good equipment , he argues . “ It ’ s about wanting to leave the section better than you found it .”
MITRO HOOD
48 OVERTURE / BSOmusic . org