Why Percussion?

I was recently contacted by a high school student to answer questions in an interview format for a paper he's writing.  This student is fantastic and I'm doing everything in my power to "recruit" him to ASU.  His questions for our email interview are great and I thought I'd share my answers.  Personally, it's always a fruitful endeavor to reflect on the basics of what it is that makes me who I am.

Why percussion?

My grandfather was a drummer.  Ever since I can remember, he'd show me how to drum on the weekends, and when I entered 3rd grade, he gave me a drum set.  I joined the school band and orchestra in 4th grade and started lessons.  Throughout 4th-10th grade, sports and music received equal attention, but in 11th grade, I became infatuated with the timpani playing of Rick Holmes, the timpanist of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra.  This changed my life and from then on, I was hooked on classical music as well as playing the drum set.  I had played in garage bands,  jazz combos, the school bands, orchestras, community and honor orchestras from 7th grade until I graduated, so studying music seemed natural.

After years of studying the basics- drum set, snare drum, timpani, marimba, vibes, etc, I developed an interest in other aspects of drumming- West African, Middle Eastern frame drumming, Brazilian pandeiro, and the list goes on.  It's at this point I realized percussion is endless and we will never know everything. It's the pursuit of knowledge and to always be better that drives me.  Also, the ability to share music, both with audience members and students is energizing.  Percussion lends itself well to doing this- be it teaching my university students or teaching beginners in the community- children and adult, it's something very special. 

Here's a little about the timpanist from above:
Rick Holmes, SLSO

 What’s the hardest part about your job?

There's nothing "hard" about my job, but when first starting any endeavor, there are things that are unfamiliar.  I had a teacher in college who always said "nothing is hard, it's only unfamiliar" and he was right.  Think about it- when learning a challenging section in your music that is a struggle, once you get it down, it becomes your favorite part.  "Hard" is a label that creates cognitive dissonance.  By using the term, "unfamiliar," once you get to know it, it's no longer a challenge!

Having said that, one of my biggest challenges is balancing teaching and performing- I feel both are incredibly important and support one another.  To practice 4 hours a day today means spending less time prepping to teach, and vice versa.  There's no magic formula, but I feel to be a great teacher, one must be a great performer, and to be a great performer, one must know how to teach.

Is percussion mostly talent, skill, or both?

I don't believe in "talent."  I believe people are prone to learn certain things more quickly than others, but being born with a "gift" is meaningless unless it's developed.  In all cases, how diligently someone works is the biggest indicator of musical success.  And remember, not everyone learns at the same speed.  Others ignite later and become marvelous percussionists- they just needed the right environment.  Here's a pair of books on the subject:

Talent is Overrated
The Talent Code

Pick them up from the library and give them a read. If they library doesn't own them, tell them to order them!  In the mean time, I can mail you a copy.

What is your teaching style/method?

Great question.  My teaching style, as a whole, is to teach not just the skills to be a great percussionist, but the skills to be great in any endeavor.  Teaching students to teach themselves is my ultimate goal, and along the way, this develops not just a great percussionist, but a great person.  Teaching self reflection, humility, focus, attention to detail, while encouraging passion, personality, and independence is the goal of every teaching moment. 

To get more detailed- as a university teacher, I believe in an individualized curriculum to meet students where they are and progress them to meet their goals.  Sure, there are certain standards and expectations of every student, but in general, I want to develop not just the finest "percussionist," but the finest "musician."

One of my stated philosophies for what Adams State will prepare a student for is this:
"When the phone rings and someone wants to hire you to play ____________, you can say yes."  This was the philosophy of my teachers and I am eternally grateful for their approach. 
Here's a blog post I wrote on the subject a few years ago:
"Because You Never Know"

I've had terrific teachers and mentors along the way and wouldn't trade my experiences for someone else's.  In addition, I've learned much through trial and error, and thank my students for the lessons they continue to teach me.

You're Such a Self-Promoter

With my studio's biggest performance of the semester just around the corner, marketing is underway not just for a live audience to fill the hall, but to tune in to our live webcast of the performance.

Why am I doing this?

-Conventional wisdom is self-promotion. To draw attention to my growing studio and the work they are accomplishing.

To make Adams State an attractive place for potential students to study music, consequently providing my current students with other quality students and opportunities in which to collaborate.

To build a following. Playing for a large and receptive audience is a plus for any performer. No one likes to play to seatbacks without bodies.

An attempt to be trendy and techy.  Dialing into industry standards of production.

Of course, there is truth to the above.  Those reasons tie into the ultimate rationale for promoting the concert, but are not my primary goal.

Over the past few years, my concerts have garnered local attention and built a very supportive audience. We take pride in our presentations and are always excited to share the percussive arts with our community. However, this is a biproduct of the educational goals I have set out to offer to my students.

Here's what it's really about:

- I want my students to play great for the sake of making great music.

- I want them to understand the cause and effect relationship of proper preparation and peak musical experiences.

- I want them to consider the professional neccesities of programming, audience building, quality performances, and personal and musical growth.

- And above all, I want them to look beyond their very supportive regional audience and understand that musical preparations and offerings should reach beyond "a" performance and "tonight's" audience to the untold audiences and experiences in their future.  THAT is what it's about.



Raising the stakes for their own growth. It's already apparent in the preparation cycle.

I hope to make this a permanent process. Then we raise the stakes again... I'm thinking a recording project...

Watch the performance on Wednesday, March 2nd at 7:30pm Mountain Daylight Time at
www.adams.edu/live

An Open Invitation to Watch

Yesterday afternoon, our veterinarian performed surgery on our pooch, Gabriel.  Tracy and I cleared our schedules with the intention of waiting impatiently for the doctor to give the thumb's up on a successful procedure.

Instead, we received an invitation into the operating room to watch from beginning to end.

Dr. Ratzlaff talked us through every step of the procedure, explained the anatomy, incisions, showed us the uroliths, discussed the suture patterns, and left us with a positive and anxiety-lessened experience.  He was comfortable in his work, masterful in the surgery, and open to discuss every question we threw his way.  In short, his sincerity and professionalism combined for a special experience in an otherwise undesirable situation.

Gabe is still recovering next to me as I type this and I have to say, my knowledge of canine anatomy and foremost, our trust in Dr. Ratzlaff is unwavering.

                                                          (Gabe pre-surgery)



Let's consider our craft.

Are you more aware of your practice routine when observed by others?

More considerate of your lesson plan or appearance when video recorded?

Bring your "A" game when under the microscope of your employer?

In a session at this year's PASIC, John Parks stated he records each lesson he teaches.  This provides his students with an archive to refer to and ensures his best teaching.  I found this approach inspiring, honest, and very refreshing.

Might this openness towards constant observation improve your craft?

Gain credibility with your students, audience, or potential clients?

Personally, I welcome observers to my rehearsals, lessons, and classes.  When teaching private lessons to pre-college students, I encourage parents to observe.  I require my percussion methods students to observe percussion lessons and percussion ensemble rehearsals.  If a student intends to teach private lessons, I encourage them to observe several teachers to acquire a variety of styles.

And yes,  I'd be happy to provide video of my practice sessions.*

*Warnings:
May cause drowsiness.  
Wardrobe may be disturbing.
Language may not be suitable for children.