Rhythms / Counting System• words matching syllables to rhythms (ie. Pear, Ap-ple, Ba-na-na, Wa-ter-mel-on)• use with the whole class, do as a round (different groups starting at different times)• introduce the Table of Time - from Master Studies by Joe Morello

General Technique• use natural motion of the wrist (hands turned over) and stay relaxed• similar to bouncing a basketball or knocking on a door• allow the weight of the stick/mallet to do the work!• this technique is the basic approach to all instruments

Integration• percussionists need to feel like they are just as important as any other instrumentalist

-they play when everyone else plays, including warm-ups etc...-they breathe when everyone else breathes etc....

• assign them tasks like setting up, organizing - this is all part of playing percussion• Draw a map of the section so they know how to set-up the instruments each time - then the

expectation is that they are ready to go when everyone else is as well• teach them how to repair equipment• immediately have them playing ALL instrument families including keyboards, accessories etc..

-they can do all warm-ups on keyboards - if it’s rhythms, maybe have them try it on tambourine or triangle instead of just snare drum-keyboard players can play scales with the band, rolling on half-notes or longer-snare drum player can practice his table of time (quarters, eighths, sixteenths)-bass drum and cymbals can alternate between half notes and quarter notes, practicing playing together as they often do in marches

Print Resources• Stick Control - by G.L. Stone• Fundamental Studies for Snare Drum - Whaley• Fundamental Studies for Mallets - Whaley• Fundamental Studies for Timpani - Whaley• Drumset Essentials - Volume 1 - Erskine• Alfred’s Beginning Drumset Method - Feldstein/Black• Sonic Adventures for Percussion Ensemble - Reilly (C. Alan Publications)

Listening• in an effort to get them excited, try to have them listen to something they’re never heard

before• perhaps expand the repertoire assigned to percussionists for listening assignments• if they come across an instrument sound they don’t now, have them research its title, history

and how to play it (this works best if you own one!)• perhaps design a class assignment around obscure instruments that are related to the more

common instruments (bass flute, contrabassoon, piccolo trumpet, submerged gongs etc...) - Stravinsky “The Rite of Spring” is fantastic for this. A great resource is the San Francisco Symphony’s Keeping Score DVD about the piece, hosted by Michael Tilson Thomas. http://www.keepingscore.org/

An Introduction to Concert PercussionGetting Students Started and Excited!

Saturday, November 5th, 2011OMEA’s PRIMO ’11 @ Deerhurst Resort, Huntsville, ON

© 2011 DuO Percussion

Recommended Recordings

“The Percussion Music of David Maslanka” - by The Robert Hohner Percussion Ensemble!!! ! Maslanka - “Montana Music: Three Dances for Percussion” - (for percussion orchestra)! ! Maslanka - “Crown of Thorns” - (for 4 marimbas, two vibes and glock)! ! Maslanka - “Arcadia II” (Concerto for marimba and percussion ensemble)

“Far More Drums” - by The Robert Hohner Percussion Ensemble!! ! Rouse - “Ogoun Badagris”! !! ! Rouse - “Ku-Ka-Ilimoku”

Other Notable Works for Percussion! ! Lang - “The Anvil Chorus” - (for solo percussion - played on junk metal)! ! Bartòk - “Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion” (great use of timpani)! ! Varèse - “Ionisation” (for 13 percussionists)! ! Gillingham - “Stained Glass” (has submerged crotales and gongs etc..)! ! Gillingham - “Normandy Beach – 1944” ! !! ! Miki - “Marimba Spiritual” - (for marimba solo and three percussionists)! ! Rosauro - “Concerto para Marimba e Orquestra e Cordas”! ! Rouse - “Bonham” (tribute to the famous Led Zeppelin drummer, John Bonham)! ! Cage - “First Construction (In Metal)”! ! Cage - “Third Construction”!! !Other Notable Works for Large Ensemble with Good Percussion! ! Orff - “Carmina Burana”! ! Stravinsky - “The Rite of Spring”! ! Whitacre - “Ghost Train Trilogy”! ! Whitacre - “Gawd$illa Eats Las Vegas!”! ! Bernstein - “Mambo from West Side Story”! ! Bernstein - “Slava!”

An Introduction to Concert PercussionGetting Students Started and Excited!

Saturday, November 5th, 2011OMEA’s PRIMO ’11 @ Deerhurst Resort, Huntsville, ON

© 2011 DuO Percussion