John R. Beck is the principal percussionist of the Winston-Salem Symphony and he teaches at the UNC School of the Arts and Wake Forest University. He regularly performs with the Brass Band of Battle Creek and the Philidor Percussion Group. His career began as a member of the United States Marine Band, and for 10 years he performed regularly with the National and Baltimore Symphonies, Washington and Baltimore Operas, and the Theater Chamber Players of the Kennedy Center.

It is the responsibility of the performing artist not only to recreate and interpret music written in the past, but to encourage and foster the creation of new music. Shared Spaces is the cumulative effort of many musicians toward this goal. These recordings were made over the course of seven years in three states. All of the music was the result of performers commissioning composers to write chamber music.