Pete's Percussion Podcast: Episode 304 - Andy Harnsberger

Lee University (TN) Percussion Professor Andy Harnsberger stops by to talk about his job responsibilities, programming and practicing for 40+ solo concerts a year while also composing, and the importance of sightreading (02:30), more about the students who come to Lee and the challenges of recruiting there (24:30), the importance of physical and mental health for percussionists (31:00), growing up in Roanoke, VA, listening and playing drumset to Classic Rock, and his sports background (43:20), attending Virginia Commonwealth for his undergrad and master’s degrees (52:25), getting his doctorate at Eastman (01:11:15), and settles in for the Random Ass Questions, including more about sightreading, the evolution of marimba literature, kitchen accidents, and beating cancer (01:18:20).

Finishing with a Rave of appreciation on the life and career of Bill Russell (01:48:50).

Links:

Andy Harnsberger’s website

Caitlin Jones on the podcast in 2022

John H. Beck

“Merlin” - Andrew Thomas

“Night Rhapsody” - John Serry

“Toccata in E-Flat Minor” - Raymond Helble

“Words Unspoken” - Andy Harnsberger

Mr. Jack Daniel’s Silver Cornet Band

John R. Beck on the podcast in 2022

Chris Norton

Tommy Dobbs

“Stretching for Pain-Free Performance” - Andy Harnsberger

“Dance, Dance, Dance” - The Beach Boys

“Movin’ Out” - Billy Joel

“Tom Sawyer” - Rush

“Separate Ways” - Journey

Tony Williams

Elvin Jones

Rickey Henderson highlights

“Swinging at the Haven” - Ellis Marsalis

Steve Gadd

Don Bick

Leigh Howard Stevens

Michael Burritt

Robert Van Sice

William Moersch on the podcast in 2019

She-e Wu

“Yellow After the Rain” - Mitchell Peters

“Two Mexican Dances” - Gordon Stout

Julie Spencer on the podcast in 2021

“Variations on Lost Love” - David Maslanka

“Grand Fantasy in C Major” - Raymond Helble

“Two Movements for Marimba” - Toshimitsu Tanaka

“Time for Marimba” - Minoru Miki

“Wind in the Bamboo Grove” - Keiko Abe

Thinking Songs - Lukas Ligeti

“Velocities” - Joseph Schwantner

Overture to “Colas Bruegnon” - Dmitri Kabalevsky

Susan Powell

Joseph Krygier

Blake Tyson

Ivan Trevino on the podcast in 2017

“Khan Variations” - Alejandro Viñao

Cort McClaren on the podcast in 2022

“Northern Lights” - Eric Ewazen

“Reflections on the Nature of Water” - Jacob Druckman

“Prelude No. 1” - Ney Rosauro

“Gordon’s Bicycle” - Kevin Bobo

Brian Nozny on the podcast in 2018

Rocky Balboa trailer

The Pink Chiquitas

Creed trailer

Harry Potter novels - JK Rowling

“Palmetto Moon” - Andy Harnsberger

Village Idiot Pizza

Piccola

Training Montage from Rocky

Raves:

Second Wind - Bill Russell

Jack Hamilton’s article on Bill Russell