The percussionist Alfons Grieder was born in Basel in 1939 and in 1949 became a pupil of Fritz Berger’s Drum School, accompanying his teacher in performance tours and concerts. He continued his studies with Morris Goldenberg and Saul Goodman at the Juilliard School of Music in New York. His dream of becoming a concert percussionist was not realised and he now works as an insurance adviser for the Swiss chemical industry. He is, however, known internationally as an expert on the Basel drum, giving concerts and courses. He is a member of the Fasnacht Society, whose drumming school he has directed for many years, and is known as a teacher and author of numerous drum compositions. He has played Rolf Liebermann’s Geigy Festival Concerto in Basel, Hamburg and the United States, among other places.
