Foundations of Percussion Instruction in the School,

From Beginner through High School

Clinic Outline

 

I.               Elementary School (beginner)

a.     Selecting the Student Percussionist

                                               i.     Stereotypes and self-fulfilling prophecies

                                             ii.     Choose more intelligent, more mature students

                                            iii.     Equip with real instruments whenever possible

b.     Methodology

                                               i.     Total Percussion Approach (include as much as possible)

1.     Snare Drum

a.     Foundations of technique

                                                                                                     i.     Grip = embouchure

                                                                                                   ii.     Stroke = breath support

                                                                                                  iii.     Transfers to other instruments

b.     Concepts of rhythm

c.     Concepts of musicality

d.     Concepts of tone quality awareness

2.     Keyboard Percussion – all of the above plus:

a.     Concepts of basic musicianship (treble clef)

b.     Concepts of melody

c.     Concepts of harmony

3.     Timpani (if available) – all of the above plus:

a.     Introduction of the bass clef

b.     Concepts of ear training (intervals)

c.     Concepts of pitch control (am I in tune?)

4.     Auxiliary Percussion Instruments

a.     Further concepts of tone color awareness

b.     Concepts of the entirety of the percussion instrument family

c.     Introduction to non-Western musical materials

                                             ii.     Heterogeneous band methods are usually inadequate for percussionists, supplement with more pertinent studies

1.     Wessels: A Fresh Approach to the Snare Drum

2.     Wessels: A Fresh Approach to Mallet Percussion

3.     Return to class methods or beginning level literature at concert time, students will be able to prepare parts with relative ease

c.     Outcomes

                                               i.     Fostering whole musicians – equity with other instrumentalists

                                             ii.     Student percussionists enter middle school with:

1.     Foundation of solid technique fundamentals (concert and rudimental)

2.     Ability to read rhythms and melodic material in treble, bass and percussion clefs

3.     Understanding of basic musicality

4.     Awareness of tone color and quality

5.     Understanding of basic musicianship

6.     Rudimentary ear training skills

7.     Familiarity with and experience on virtually all instruments on which they will need to be proficient at the middle school level

II.             Middle School (beginner-intermediate)

a.     Methodology

                                               i.     What am I going to do with all these percussion players? (doubling strategies)

1.     Avoid doubling the snare drum with the exception of marches

2.     Bell parts can be doubled on vibes (adds depth to the sound)

3.     Xylophone parts can be doubled on marimba (adds depth to the sound)

4.     Cymbal parts (especially suspended) can be doubled

5.     Auxiliary parts can be created (where appropriate – be careful)

6.     Keyboard percussion can double wind parts in C

a.     Oboe

b.     Bassoon

c.     Euphonium

7.     If you have the facilities, work a percussion ensemble during pieces with minimal percussion

                                             ii.     Supplement band with intermediate percussion methods to continue development

1.     Mitchell Peters

2.     Garwood Whaley

                                            iii.     Introduce timpani if unavailable in elementary school

                                            iv.     Develop rudimental style (in preparation for high school marching band)

1.     Davila: Contemporary Rudimental Studies and Solos

2.     Freytag: The Rudimental Cookbook & Just Desserts

3.     Savage: Savage Rudimental Workshop

                                             v.     Introduce percussion ensembles (see resources for literature)

                                            vi.     Introduce solo materials (see resources for literature)

1.     Snare drum (concert and rudimental)

2.     Keyboard percussion

3.     Timpani

                                          vii.     Possible introduction of drum set

                                         viii.     Introduce non-Western musical styles through idiomatic techniques of auxiliary percussion instruments

                                            ix.     Private lessons

b.     Outcomes – student percussionists enter high school as developing whole musicians with:

                                               i.     Developing large ensemble skills

                                             ii.     Solid concepts of modern rudimental drumming

                                            iii.     Introductory chamber ensemble skills

                                            iv.     Introductory solo skills

                                             v.     Developing concepts of non-Western musical styles

III.           High School (intermediate-advanced)

a.     Methodology

                                               i.     Supplement band with advanced percussion methods

1.     Cirone: Portraits in Rhythm

2.     Goldenberg: Modern School for Xylophone, Marimba, Vibraphone

3.     Peters: Fundamental Method for Timpani

4.     Four mallet keyboard percussion study

                                             ii.     Introduce modern marching percussion

1.     Battery (rudimental style)

a.     Bachman: Bass Logic, Quad Logic & Rudimental Logic

b.     Bissell: Tenor Madness!

c.     Cassella/Gusseck: Fresh Perspectives for the Modern Drumline

d.     Davila: Modern Multi-Tenor Techniques and Solos

e.     Johnson: The Blue Devil Book of Drumming

f.      Wooten: The DrummerÕs Rudimental Reference Book

2.     Pit (concert style adapted to outdoor performance)

a.     Cassella/Ancona: Up Front, A Complete Resource for TodayÕs Pit Ensemble

                                            iii.     Continue or introduce percussion ensemble (see resources for literature)

                                            iv.     Continue or introduce solo study (see resources for literature)

                                             v.     Continue or introduce drum set study

                                            vi.     Introduce jazz vibraphone/marimba

1.     Two mallet (linear improvisation)

2.     Four mallet (chordal accompaniment – ÔcompingÕ)

3.     Metzger: The Art and Language of Jazz Vibes

4.     Lipner: The Vibes Real Book

                                          vii.     Continue to develop non-Western musical styles

                                         viii.     Music electives as available

1.     Music Theory

2.     Music History

3.     Conducting

4.     Composition

                                            ix.     Private lessons

                                             x.     Percussive Arts Society

b.     Outcomes

                                               i.     Student percussionists graduate as fully developed whole musicians

                                             ii.     Advanced skills in a wide variety of settings

1.     Concert

a.     Large ensemble

b.     Chamber ensemble

c.     Solo

2.     Marching

3.     Jazz

a.     Drum set

b.     Vibes

4.     Non-Western musical styles

                                            iii.     Continued involvement in music beyond high school

IV.          Resources

a.     General

                                               i.     Cook: Teaching Percussion (have this book on your shelf!)

                                             ii.     Modern Drummer Magazine

                                            iii.     The Percussive Arts Society www.pas.org

                                            iv.     Vic Firth Education www.vicfirth.com/education/educationmain.html

                                             v.     Latin Percussion: Play Like a Pro www.lpmusic.com/Play_Like_A_Pro/index.html

                                            vi.     Ludwig/Musser Education www.ludwig-drums.com/content/education.php

                                          vii.     Mallet Jazz.com www.malletjazz.com

                                         viii.     Pearl Drum Education Resources www.pearldrum.com/drumedu.html

                                            ix.     Yamaha Tips from the Pros http://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/CDA/ContentDetail/WrappedTextDetail/0%2C6383%2CCNTID%25253D26646%252526CTID%25253D217500%252526VNM%25253DLIVE%252526AFLG%25253DY%2C00.html

                                             x.     Zildjian U www.zildjian.com/en-US/zildjianu/default.ad2

b.     Publishers (sources for solo and ensemble literature and methods)

                                               i.     C. Alan Publicaions www.c-alanpublications.com

                                             ii.     Alfred Publishing www.alfred.com/frameset.cfm?sub=percussion&userType=Student

                                            iii.     Drop 6 Media www.drop6.com

                                            iv.     Go Fish Music www.gofishmusic.com

                                             v.     Honey Rock www.honeyrock.net

                                            vi.     Innovative Percussion www.innovativepercussion.com

                                          vii.     Hal Leonard www.halleonard.com/percussion.jsp

                                         viii.     Malletworks www.malletworks.com

                                            ix.     Meredith Music Publications www.meredithmusic.com

                                             x.     Mostly Marimba www.mostlymarimba.com

                                            xi.     OU Percussion Press http://music.ou.edu/publications/oupp/

                                          xii.     Row-Loff Publications www.rowloff.com

                                         xiii.     Southern Music Company www.smcpublications.com/catalog/music/instrumental/percussion/percussion.htm

                                         xiv.     Tap Space Publications www.tapspace.com

 

 

 

 

Text Box: Rhythm and harmony enter most powerfully into the inner most part of the soul and lay forcible hands upon it, bearing grace with them, so making graceful him who is rightly trained. -- Plato