Our Musicians

Pat Pfiffner
Timpani/Percussion, Principal

Why does a musician perform?  Like many musicians, the reason "why" is much simpler than the how of what they do.  In Pat’s own words, "Because that is what I do and who I am.”  And who is Pat?  He is the renaissance man of percussion.  Pat brings a powerful array of talents to Orchestra Nova.  Pat’s credits include the Joffrey ballet, American Ballet theatre, Moscow Ballet and the Rock group "Yes".  The celebrities Pat has backed include some of the biggest names in the business: Sammy Davis Jr., Bob Hope, Yul Brynner, Johnny Mathis, Lena Horne, Henry Mancini, Tony Bennett, Luciano Pavarotti, Andre Bocelli, George Burns, Natalie Cole, Mickey Rooney, and Robert Goulet – to name a few.  Mr. Pfiffner specializes in "turn-of-the-century" concert band music, performing extensively for silent films. His repertoire includes Phantom of the Opera, The General, Cops, and Gold Rush, for which he conducted the orchestra at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills.  Close to Orchestra Nova ’s heart is Pat’s work as part of our Children’s Classroom music program; and to top this list off, he spends his free time as a long distance runner.