@ Percussion Podcast

Since our last conversation with Mike was cut short, we gathered again to finish topics and have Mike answer our remaining questions.Topics: memorization, how to practice, Joshua Drake Jones viral video, Keiko Abe's music arriving in the USWatch here. Listen below. If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element 0:00 Intro and hello1:23 James Wood’s “Cloud Polyphonies”4:13 Eli Gerschat: The Oberlin Percussion Group premieres at least one new piece a year. How do you prepare your students for a premiere and what effect do you think this has on them early in their careers?6:01 Importance of commissioning new music for our genre8:12 Early Japanese marimba literature10:25 Advent of one-handed rolls and 5-6 mallet pieces13:07 Keiko Abe’s first concerts in the United States16:08 Teaching Japanese marimba music in the Western tradition19:00 Marimba Spiritual and current contact with Keiko Abe28:14 Practice and memorization strategies38:57 Megan: Joshua Jones Rhythm! Scene ar

This week certified sports psychologist and rehabilitation specialist Mike Cerreto joined us from his A Talented Mind clinic in Richmond, VA.  Recently, Mike has also started working with classical musicians, and has confirmed and debunked some of the lines drawn between the two domains.Mike and Laurel are now collaborating on an exciting new resource for percussionists about our own mental styles, which will release in 2017.Topics: mental styles, musicians' myths about performance anxiety, FB questionsWatch here. Listen below. If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element 0:00 Intro and hello2:00 Diagnostic Test for Performing Artists3:49 Mike Cerreto’s background and the gap with music psychology6:07 Building profiles for norm groups of successful musicians8:01 Characteristics the test measures9:35 FB: What’s the most common worry or problem you see among musicians?15:00 Music vs. sports – public performance18:39 Nicolai Dahl and Sergei Rachmaninoff21:35 Br

From Oberlin Conservatory, this week we are joined by Mike Rosen.  Many former students of his have gone on to successful careers in different avenues of percussion.Topics: pedagogy, Ballet mecanique and George Antheil, Hedy LamarrWatch here. Listen below. If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element 0:00 Intro and hello1:55 Percussion at Oberlin / double degree or major8:12 Eli Gerschat: Helping a student find their path can seem very daunting. How do you help someone find themselves in their study of percussion and music, and how do you successfully bring that out in their time spend practicing and learning?12:49 Focus and competence15:02 Benefits of undergraduate only institution18:44 “Chicken night” and percussion camaraderie24:27 Laurel: George Antheil’s “Ballet Mecanique”32:14 Casey: Hedy Lamarr and frequency hopping39:29 Timpani talk41:28 “Ballet Mecanique” continued – instrumentation, score, etc.49:07 Wrap

For this episode, Megan invited her department director, percussionist Dr. Julia Gaines, to join us.  Julia and Megan were both willing to give us an insider's perspective on last year's Mizzou protests. Julia also talks about the transition from percussion professor to administration, as well as the process of creating her marimba method book and 4-mallet level system.We also talk about our experiences teaching Percussion Methods classes, as graduate assistants and professors.Watch here. Listen below. If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element 0:00 Intro and hello1:46 James Doyle: There have been so many wonderful percussion educators who have successfully transitioned to administration. I’d be interested in your thoughts on why you chose a similar path, and if you have thoughts as to why percussion educators seem to find success in administration.4:43 Challenges of being an administrator9:38 Protests on the Mizzou Campus, department responses, resulting di

Matthew Henry, creator of the community outreach program Specdrum, joined us for this episode.  He opens up about the inspiration for creating the organization.Other topics include the oldest man-made instrument ever found and artist Mark Rooker's project of sending art to the moon.Watch here. Listen below. If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element 0:00 Intro and hello1:43 Current projects5:14 Upcoming PASIC clinic: Side-by-side comparison of djembe/conga technique8:48 Megan: Live-streaming at PASIC13:49 Developing conga technique16:00 Bourbon and friendship18:39 Casey’s Arts 100 class: Mark Rooker and works of art on the moon31:31 SpecDrum – community outreach drumming program39:09 Protests in Ferguson / Upcoming PASIC panel discussion: Rhythm and Race49:28 Laurel: The oldest instrument ever found1:03:08 Advice for people who want to make a difference in their own communities1:09:24 Wrap

In this episode, Casey shares a recorded interview with Pedro Fernandez, the organizer of Portugal's Groove Alentejo festival. He also talks about the Chapel of Bones in Evora, made of exactly what it sounds like.We also chat about Wonder Woman being named an Honorary Ambassador to the UN, as well as the creation story behind the comic books.Megan quizzes our ears with a recording of an Alpine cattle descent, and into about almglocken.Watch here. Listen below. If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element 0:00 Intro and hello2:29 Wonder Woman is named an Honorary Ambassador to the UN21:17 Bob Dylan and the Beatles28:07 Pedro Fernandes and the International Percussion Festival in Portugal34:10 Studying percussion in Portugal38:35 Benefits for students from a big international festival40:36 Recap from Pedro’s interview45:02 Experiencing culture at festivals abroad54:46 Organizing a large festival56:12 Alpine Cattle Descent and places to purchase almglocken1:04:24 Blac

This week we're joined by the professor of percussion at the University of Tennessee and co-founder of Nief Norf, Andy Bliss. Andy was the curator for Focus Day 2016, and he gives us some insight into the entire process.Megan tells us about ICE (International Contemporary Ensemble) and founder Claire Chase's recent decision to step out of her administrative role.Watch here. Listen below. If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element 0:00 Intro and hello1:03 Halloween, current projects, sushi buddies6:55 Mike Truesdell: Dear Dr. Bliss – How can one person be such a great percussionist and pedagogue, but still lack every fundamental skill for NBA jam?8:25 nief-norf performance at PASIC Focus Day11:25 Megan: Claire Chase and the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE)27:21 Genesis of nief-norf and nn Summer Festival39:14 Organizing a PASIC Focus Day45:17 Focus Day artist bookings48:17 Applying to play on Focus Day56:01 What is “new music” and how do we approach it p

Larnell LewisKenyon WilliamsA quick interview with Larnell Lewis (drummer of Snarky Puppy) and Kenyon Williams (Minnesota State University - Moorhead) during the MSUS Day of Percussion hosted by Kenyon Williams.Watch here. Listen below. If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element 0:00 Intro and hello1:03 What is a Day of Percussion?1:42 How to procure artists3:10 Larnell’s clinic / session work / backing tracks6:46 Shane Shanahan’s performance at the finale concert8:53 How to put together a Day of Percussion: securing artists, sponsor support, working with local artists, and finding great performers who are also great educators19:31 Larnell’s new debut album23:40 Snarky Puppy28:39 Working with multiple drummers30:54 Wrap

Joining us this week is one of Ben's former teachers: Ricardo Flores.Ricardo regularly plays various styles of music and was gracious enough to chat with us about So Percussion's new A Gun Show and its director, Ain Gordon, as well as the topic of mindful self-motivation, an ever-present issue in the minds of today's teachers and mentors.Watch here. Listen below. If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element 0:00 Intro and hello0:58 PASIC recap and highlights4:41 Ricardo’s current projects8:28 Megan: So Percussion's "A Gun Show"13:17 Director Ain Gordon / music as a response to politics17:57 Playing “Yellow After the Rain” for Keiko Abe at a young age20:09 Ricardo’s circus gig29:27 Laurel: Finding motivation / personal stories / incentivizing51:19 Improvising from a young age54:04 Ben’s giant duck call55:25 The “Distraction Effect” and the “What the Hell Effect”1:00:38 Wrap

This week we sat down with Dr. Omar Carmenates, the Associate Professor of Percussion at Furman University and the Front Ensemble Supervisor/Arranger of the Cadets Drum & Bugle Corps. His debut solo CD, entitled The Gaia Theory, is released through Rattle Records, and two other recent projects include a double-disc release entitled "The John Psathas Percussion Project" and a collaboration with Furman Univesity’s David E. Shi Center for Sustainability to record Matthew Burtner’s Six Ecoacoustic Quintets with the Furman Percussion Ensemble.Watch here.  Listen below. If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element 0:00 intro and hello0:55 Thanks, Megan - past episodes timestamps complete3:50 Omar Carmenates intro5:30 Busy busy + Dad8:03 What's new?9:05 Ben: John Psathas, composer.  Omar's Psathas arranging project.28:28 Facebook questions:  Luis Rivera: Tesla car?Robbie Green:  Greatest musical or teaching failure and what have you learned from it

This week we sat down with percussion educator, performer, and composer Dave Hall! Dave is the Assistant Professor of Percussion and Jazz Studies, and coordinator of the percussion program at the University of Nebraska.Watch here. Listen below. If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element 0:00  Intro and Hello2:13  Latest?4:33  Dave and Ben's experiences with Christopher Deane at UNT9:49  Megan: RIP and thanks to Mr. Bernard Woma21:00  Hannah Gallamore Given that you are a prolific composer,educator, and performer, how do you manage these threedisciplines throughout the year–does it change as the yearprogresses or have you found a consistent balance?23:24  Notching up the challenges.  Michael Gordon's "XY"30:40  Nebraska Steel Band?  36:45  Continuing practice and more on time management46:56  Parker David Stockford What is a good way to get incontact or meet with professors at prospective schools whenyou’re in

Joining us this week is alchemical percussionist and storyteller Michael Bettine! Working under the name Gongtopia, he has presented concerts of original compositions and improvisations played on metal instruments, sounding bass drum, and hand drums since 2002. He also regularly presents both Gong Meditation Sessions and Sound Workshops using gongs, singing bowls, and bells.Watch here. Listen below. If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element 0:00 Intro and Hello1:40 Puccini gongs for sale?5:03 Michael Bettine's background, what is Gongtopia?7:00 Logistics of these gongs and traveling?9:52 Bonham's gong!12:15 Michael's blogs, history as a writer.  16:05 Blog post "Selling of Gongs as Snake Oil"  22:08 Michael's meditation session?25:47 Interesting instrument finds? Debussy's crotales29:25 The low pitches for "Rain Tree" (Takemitsu)32:50 Laurel: Current PAS committee openings and how to apply37:47 Megan: Why African instruments often have a buzzing sound&

    With Ben this week are two composers: David Pegel and Zack Browning.  This is Zack's second time on the podcast.David attended the University of TN with Laurel, and the University of Miami with Ben, so he's practically part of the @ percussion family.  He's written several works for Ben, and he and Zack are in Tarleton for this week's episode in preparation for a TSU percussion concert featuring pieces by both of them.Watch here. Listen below.  If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element 0:00 Intro and Hello2:30 On campus with Ben, what's happening? Zack's pieces on this  concert.5:35 Feng Shui in Zack's music, ensemble playing11:18 David's pieces on this concert and commissions with Ben.33:21 What pieces or composers do you turn students to exemplify good percussion?36:20 Ben: William Moersch48:30 David's timpani & piano piece, "Nightmares"59:20 The Experiential Music Curriculum at the University of Miami?

Praised by Percussive Notes Journal as "A Master of Musical Nuance," Dr. Andy Harnsberger enjoys a versatile career as a performer, composer, and educator.  He is in demand as a recitalist and clinician, his compositions have been performed at PASIC and around the world, and he is Associate Professor of Music and Percussion Coordinator at Lee University in Cleveland, TN.Watch here. Listen below. If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element 0:00 Intro and Hello1:00 Ben and Andy share a teacher - studying with Donald Bick5:10 Andy's new CD Phoenix5:55 Recording CDs today? Still a good idea?11:37 Recording the CD?17:19 How did you get into composing?20:34 Puccini's gongs...for sale38:50 Andy's trips to South America?41:12 Parker S: What's the most important thing to emphasize in a graduate school audition?46:42 Megan: Big Ears Festival51:30 Jack Daniel's Brass Band xylophone soloist?54:13 Farewell and thanks to Marvin Dahlgren57:07 Latest projects?

Joining us this week is percussion quartet Clocks in Motion.  We were lucky to catch them all together in a rehearsal period for an upcoming performance: Matt Coley, Sean Kleve, Chris Jones, and Andrew Veit were together at their rehearsal space in Madison, Wisconsin.Watch here. Listen below. If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element 0:00 Intro and Hello1:35 Yet another long-distance ensemble!?  3:20 Current tour and rehearsal  7:15 Matthew Cooley, getting into Dulcimer?10:50 Dulcimer vs cimbalom?14:30 Casey: What's the sound?    22:50 Challenges as an ensemble?  30:44 The studio space?  Practicalities and instruments35:33 Three year commissioning project50:30 Podcast work-in-progress?53:45 Megan: hearing loss lawsuit, BBC report

Joining us this week is Doug Perkins.  Doug has commissioned and premiered over 100 pieces and works with such composers as David Lang, Steve Reich, Paul Lansky, John Luther Adams, Nathan Davis, Larry Polansky, Christian Wolff, Glenn Kotche, Sofia Gubaidulina, and Tristan Perich. He founded the So Percussion and the Meehan/ Perkins Duo, and performs regularly with Signal, eighth blackbird, the Chicago Symphony’s MusicNOW, and others.  He currently teaches at The Boston Conservatory.Watch here. Listen below. If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element 0:00 Intro and Hello 1:15 What's up?  Being the Dept. Chair?      3:27 Where/how did you fall in love with drums?  7:16 TBC merging with Berklee?  9:44 New Music Gathering in Boston?     13:41 Casey: What's the sound?  Acoustic Dispersion.  Massive and  excellent laser sound/laser tag tangent 26:00 Getting big projects off t

With us this week is Jeremy Barnett. Born in Australia, Jeremy is a percussionist, composer, and improviser who subbed regularly at the Sydney Opera House before moving to the USA. He is one of only a handful of percussionists to have earned a DMA from New England Conservatory and now resides in London where he teaches, accompanies dance classes, and continues composition and improvisation.  He's a dear friend to Laurel and Casey.Watch here. Listen below.  If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element 0:00 Intro and Hello 2:40 Playing at London's iconic Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.    15:55 Accompanying dance classes. 20:50 Breaking into music scenes in different cities. 37:30 In the meantime...what do you do?  42:59 Megan: Bang on a Can new project

Joining us this week is Eric Rucker.  Eric is a performer, educator, composer, and arranger based in South Florida. He is the percussion instructor at the Dreyfoos School of the Arts and Bak Middle School of the Arts, and a 2017 Percussive Arts Society International Percussion Ensemble Competition winner. He is also the founder of Mode Marimba and a MalletLab faculty member.Watch here. Listen below. If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element 0:00 Intro and Hello1:22 Malletlab camp with Drew Tucker4:44 Mode Marimba Company15:30 Ben Millesen: What other materials did you consider for the bars?17:12 Casey: What's the sound?29:15 Adam Hopper: process for selecting literature for your students?31:15 Ben: percussion ensemble literature for young groups44:45 Laurel: Competitions54:30 Connor Yeackley: Thoughts on starting serious percussion studies young?

Balkan Percussion Duo, consisting of Ksenija Komljenovic (Serbia) and Kiril Angelov (Bulgaria), recently won second prize at the International Percussion Competition Luxembourg. Both are students of Svet Stoyanov at the University of Miami Frost School of Music.Watch here. Listen below. If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element 0:00 Intro and hello, Megan and Switch Ensemble4:45 The competition in Luxemburg?  6:18 Any funny Svet (Svet Stoyanov) stories?18:40 Megan: Work/live/study in a other countries.34:16 A current event.45:58 Alyssa Resh: Tips for new young duos?

Joining us this week is percussionist composer Nathan Daughtrey.  Nathan's career is unique, spanning performing, recording, composition, teaching, and business via his position as Director of Operations for C. Alan Publications. He is commissioned by soloists and groups alike, and is an avid runner in his spare time.Watch here. Listen below. If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element 0:00 Intro and hello1:30 PASIC Fun Run3:25 Snarky Puppy last night?6:08 Avoiding being "pigeonholed" as a composer.  Commission?10:26 Getting into composing?  16:45 Laurel: Anthony Holland research on frequencies and destroying cancer cells.30:45 Nathan in Australia?  34:43 Casey: what's the sound?  Scelsi, The Beatles, and the Claviolin46:15 Brian Nozny:  Diverse career?  Was that the plan?    48:42 PDF publishing?57:57 Heartland Marimba Fest.?