[4] Son of a successful trumpet player, he started learning the cornet at age four, turning later to percussion, trombone, clarinet, piano, and music arrangement.

He held a Bachelor's degree, as well as an Honorary Doctorate in Music from New England Conservatory in Boston.

He was the orchestra's youngest member when music director Charles Munch hired him as a percussionist in 1952.

Although the sticks were initially intended for Firth's personal use, they gained popularity among his students and were eventually carried by retailers.

[2] The company also produced a line of pepper mills, salt grinders, and rolling pins sold under the Vic Firth Gourmet brand for many years until those interests were sold to Maine Wood Concepts of New Vineyard, Maine in 2012 and re-branded under the name Fletchers' Mill.