Karl Dustman Is a Recognized Music Industry Executive with Over Forty-Three Years of Career

KARL DUSTMAN

Karl Dustman is a recognized Music Industry Executive with over forty-three years of career achievements with Ludwig Industries, Gretsch Drums, Pearl International and Sonor Percussion-in Germany. His eleven-year tenure with Ludwig Industries during the 1970’s and 1980’s included the development of Ludwig’s International Percussion Symposiums and global Educational Clinic Programs. He has become nationally recognized as an active percussion advocate and music education supporter through decades of attendance at all related music industry conventions, trade shows and Percussion events. His vast career encompasses direct experience in manufacturing, distribution, retail, wholesale and publishing all within the Music Products Industry.

He is President of Dustman & Associates, his own Cleveland, Ohio based Marketing Communications firm, now in its seventeenth year. The firm specializes in marketing/business development plans for clients both in and out of the musical arena. His expertise and recognition for award winning Marketing, Advertising, Public Relations and Trade Show Exhibit Designs has developed a diverse client base in many different markets. His music industry client list includes: Baldwin Piano & Organ, Washburn International (four musical product divisions), Clevelander Drum Co., Amada Classical Guitars, Innovation Drum Company, The Chicago Music Mart at DePaulCenter and Amada Classical Guitars of Geneva International.

A native of the Chicagonorthern suburbs, Dustman began a formal musical training in percussion at eight years old and continued his concentrated percussion studies throughout his elementary and high school years. While pursuing his Marketing degree, he studied percussion with Bob Tilles at DePaul University School of Music in Chicago. It was this foundation in marketing, music and education that launched his career at Ludwig Drum Company following his business management achievements at IBM Corporation.

Dustman has been influential in bringing musical/percussion awareness to many public audiences through his professional career development and the evolution of his own marketing consulting firm. His encouragement for music appreciation by all young people includes his three grandchildren in Nashville, Tennessee. With this passion for musical performance and appreciation, he has been invited to participate and speak at many music industry conferences, music education summits and Board meetings.

Karl Dustman also serves as Executive Director of The Percussion Marketing Council. Accepting this nomination in January of 2001, he has concentrated on the development a five-year strategic plan for the organization within the vision for the percussion industry trade association’s growth and program enhancements. The “PMC” continues to annually achieve it’s goal in creating more percussionists for all products and facets of the percussion industry. In this organization he is responsible for annual Grant Writing/Funding Requests and the related achievement. He also represents the PMC on the Music Education Coalition through NAMM, the Music Products Industry Association. The PMC organization’s Cleveland headquarters are located within the Dustman & Associates offices.

As an accomplished percussionist with special recognition for his skill on timpani and snare drum, Karl devotes an increasing amount of time and effort to professional performance throughout the Greater Cleveland, Ohio area. He can be heard regularly performing Timpani with the well known NORTHCOAST BRASS ENSEMBLE. He also serves as Principle Percussionist for the numerous multi-venue productions featuring a thirty-five member orchestra. He is regularly contracted for Timpani and Percussion artistry Grace Christian Church (Cleveland) and the all Summit Choral Society (Akron) concert presentations. He is equally in demand for his timpani and percussion contributions to a wide spectrum of local musical, theatrical and religious performing groups.

He has been a featured guest televised Timpanist with the Hour Of Power Orchestra,at the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California, performing the internationally telecast Sunday morning services with Rev. Robert H. Schuller. In May of 2010, Dustman was invited for a special performance with the Vienna Residence Orchestra in Austria.

In a popular music performance setting, he can be heard playing drums or vibraphone at CLASSICS five-diamond restaurant in the Intercontinental Hotel in downtown Cleveland, or with the Michael Leamon Trio or North Coast Swing Band.

An added dimension to Dustman’s business and music background was launched in April 2003 with the creation of the first by-appointment-only Orchestral Percussion showroom/soundroom in the United States, PROFESSIONAL PERCUSSION PRODUCTS. This Cleveland, Ohio percussion instrument gallery brings together the most elite brands and instruments used by leading orchestral percussionists, symphony orchestras and music conservatories from around the world. Professional performers, professors and students from across the country and abroad have traveled to the one-of-a-kind Orchestral Percussion Showroom to select complete sets of timpani, five-octave marimbas and play-test-select from over fifty different models of professional timpani sticks.

His active memberships include: The Percussive Arts Society, National Association of Music Merchants, The International Association of Jazz Educators, The National Pastoral Musicians Association, The NAMM Foundation’s Music Education Coalition, Natl. Association for Music Educators (MENC) and American Federation of Musicians-Cleveland Local 4.

He may be contacted at: Dustman & Associates, P.O. Box 33252Cleveland, Ohio44133

Tele: 440-582-7006, fax 440-230-1346, e-mail:

Web site:

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