For more than five decades, Jack DiIanni has enjoyed a distinguished and rewarding career as a professional percussionist in his hometown of Pittsburgh, PA. He still currently serves as principal timpanist with the Pittsburgh Opera, the Pittsburgh Ballet and is delighted to be performing with the Virginia Grand Military Band playing bass drum with attached cymbals at the special invitation of conductor Loras John Schissel (a Sousa expert).

Over the years, Jack has played with a diverse array of musical groups in the Pittsburgh area including, the Gateway to Music Percussion Ensemble, the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, the River City Brass Band, where he served as principal percussionist, and the Pittsburgh Broadway Series along with the CLO Series. He also had the pleasure of playing with Pittsburgh’s legendary jazz and dixieland trumpeter, Benny Benack, as well as performing with several other major artists including, Perry Como, Liberace, Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gormé, Placido Domingo, and Luciano Pavarotti. From 1988 until 1996, he had the distinct honor of sharing his percussion expertise with students as an artist-lecturer at Carnegie Mellon University.

In addition to playing locally, Jack has performed with a variety of music ensembles and festivals across the country including, the Wheeling Symphony, where he held the position of principal timpanist and drum set for 32 years, the Western Slope Music Festival in Crested Butte, Colorado, the Blossom Festival Band in Cleveland, Ohio, the Sun Flower Music Festival in Topeka, Kansas, and the Buzzard’s Bay Music Festival in Marion, Massachusetts. He also performed in Asheville, North Carolina as timpanist in the Bravo Concert Series performance of “Wall to Wall Williams: The Music of John Williams.” In January 2011 and 2013 he participated in the prestigious St. Barts Music Festival on the island of St. Barts.

In 1981, Jack opened the percussion shop at Volkwein’s Music in Pittsburgh, PA. In 2003, he was appointed president of the company and in 2017 became the owner.