I recently returned from a wonderful trip to South Carolina where I presented masterclasses for The Governor's School, Clemson University and Furman University. I was hosted by Everett Beale, Dr. Paul Byer and Dr. Omar Carmenates respectively. I have to say that I was very impressed with the quality and high level of skill that the students shared with me. While my presentation focused on tambourine & triangle, it also included an in depth discussion about sound and the elements of sonority. From the feedback I received I know that the these percussion "stars of tomorrow" learned quite a bit, plus, they had fun doing so! I am planning future masterclass trips, so, if you'd like me to to visit your...
Many music programs across the U.S. continue to perpetuate unrealistic assumptions about being a music performer, while few musicians ever achieve a sustainable income solely from music performance. There are fewer full-time positions for conservatory-trained performers than ever before, as local music organizations continue to be shut down or nearly shut down due to lack of funding and patronage. And many musicians are not equipped with the marketing skills necessary to secure well-paying performance opportunities. But the stark reality of the situation is that there simply aren’t enough well-established, salaried performance jobs out there for the number of music majors graduating each year. As music schools keep chugging out performance graduates year after year, the market has become saturated with...
One of the distinguishing features of the traditional Spanish tambourine (sometimes referred to as a Basque or Gypsy tambourine) are jingles that are fluted (or crinkled). This effectively dries up the resonance of the instrument while at the same time adding a focused richness to the sound. The result is an instrument that has a "folk-like" quality. The sound of this instrument can be called "gritty" and is a little less refined than our modern orchestral series tambourines. We've redesigned the shell to mimic some of the vintage instruments in our collection. Replacing the individual jingle slots in the solid Ash shell are three large channels which house four pairs of jingles each. This single-row instrument has a total of...
A rising star on the percussion scene, Alan came to us on the recommendation of St. Louis Principal Percussionist Will James. He visited us in his quest for the "Holy Grail" of triangles. Alan came to the right place!
In addition to being seen in the percussion section of the St. Louis Symphony, Alan is performing this week with the New York Philharmonic. He is a past winner in the International Marimba Competition held in Paris, France.
Here is Alan looking happy with his special-select Grover Bronze Pro Hammered 6" triangle.
