A common mistake made by non-percussionist music educators is the relegation of weaker percussion students to the bass drum and cymbal chairs. While it may seem reasonable to assign the “harder” parts to stronger percussion students, in actuality it is the accessory instruments that are often more challenging to play and which provide the important rhythmic backbone of a musical composition. John Phillip Sousa knew this all too well. It was reported that his bass drummer, Gus Helmecke, was the highest paid member of the band! In Sousa’s own words, “The average layman does not realize the importance of the bass drummer to a band…I sometimes think that no band can be greater than its bass drummer because it is...
Here's a free download of my timpani warm-up exercises. They have been developed over many years for my personal use. The focus is on hand/arm conditioning with an emphasis on stick crossing.
Timpani Calisthenics can be played by timpanists of all levels.
DOWNLOAD TIMPANI CALISTHENICS
I started teaching at the University of North Carolina Wilmington right after finishing my Master’s degree at Indiana University in 2012. While I wasn’t expecting to get back into academia so quick, it was enlightening to get the teacher’s perspective, especially in a smaller school environment. I went to two universities with very large schools of music. It’s difficult not only to see everything that happens within these schools, but even more difficult to interact with everyone on a consistent basis. One nice benefit of being at a smaller school is that I interact with both students I teach and other students that are in the department. In the last year and a half, I’ve seen the many differences between...
Assist your colleagues in striking the stage following a percussion recital -- even it you didn’t play. This is common courtesy and will be greatly appreciated when you are the performer. Arrive far enough in advance of a rehearsal to guarantee that all equipment is set up and you are properly warmed up before the rehearsal begins. This may mean from ten minutes to an hour before a rehearsal depending on the complexity of the set-up. Following a rehearsal, remain long enough to return all equipment to its proper location. Leaving before this task is complete is selfish and inconsiderate to those who remain. Even if you did not play all the instruments, help everyone until the task is complete....
