Percussion (and other things)
Fellow Wake Forest University alum, Baton Rouge sportswriter and Episode 2 guest David Grubb returns to the podcast to discuss his career developments over the past year (01:10), after which Pete raves about the NCAA Tournament (18:50).
Links:
Episode 2 of Pete's Percussion Podcast
Raves:
Outgoing University of Arizona Percussion Professor Norman Weinberg talks about his current job status (02:40), when he did NOT meet Pete in 1997 (05:35), getting and negotiating for the job at Arizona (07:50), the status of electronic percussion in the 1980s (12:45), Texas vs. Arizona weather (37:30), growing up in Kansas City, Kansas (40:00), going to Kansas University for undergrad (01:01:40), leaving undergrad to drum with Sanctuary (and reuniting in 2014) (01:13:30), thoughts on 1970s nostalgia and movements in pop music (01:34:00), making a career in music post-Sanctuary (01:41:10), teaching and performing in Jerusalem (01:45:55), and working at the Spoleto festivals (01:55:50). He then delightfully succumbs to some Random-Ass Questions (02:02:05).
Finishing with a Rave on “Sing, Sing, Sing” (02:16:15).
Links:
Norm Weinberg's Arizona homepage
"Two Mexican Dances" - Gordon Stout
"Chrysoprase IV" - Norman Weinberg
"Variations on Japanese Children's Songs" - Keiko Abe
"Fugue from Sonata in G Minor" - J.S. Bach
"Duettino Concertante" - Ingolf Dahl
Highway 61 Revisited - Bob Dylan
"Tom Dooley" - The Kingston Trio
"If I Had A Hammer" - Peter, Paul and Mary
"El Cumbanchero" - Dick Schory's Percussion Pops
"You Really Got Me" - The Kinks
Keith Moon's drum kit explodes
"Ostinato Pianissimo" - Henry Cowell (Paul Price's group)
"Get Closer" - Seals and Crofts
"Only You Know and I Know" - Delaney and Bonnie
"Yummy Yummy Yummy" - 1910 Fruitgum Company
"I'll Never Find Another You" - The Seekers
Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance
"Everything in Its Right Place" - Radiohead
"Paranoid Android" - Radiohead
Raves
Centre College Percussion Professor Brandon Arvay talks about his upcoming timpani pedaling book (03:00), his workload doing multiple percussion jobs (17:20), growing up in Columbia, SC, with an extended take on the TV Show “Live P.D.”(48:05), connections to the city of Pittsburgh and the Steelers (57:00), going to University of South Carolina and dealing with Hootie and the Blowfish and Steve Spurrier’s water (01:13:50), Colorado State’s football stadium (01:24:45), some thoughts on spending money on education (01:27:15), Jim Campbell’s podcast and book suggestions (01:37:00), and his experiences in the Colorado State percussion program (01:40:50). He then gets subjected to some Random-Ass Questions (01:46:25).
Closing with a rave on the documentary “The Music of Strangers” (02:03:10).
Links:
Brandon Arvay's Battalion Drum and Bugle Corps page
Brandon Arvay's article on Percussion Ensemble Improvisation
Tony Cirone's Portraits of Rhythm and Study Guide
Stanley Leonard's Pedal Technique for Timpani book
Kirk Gay's Pedal to the Kettle Timpani Book
"Across the Stars" - Star Wars Love Theme
Creative Music Making - William Cahn
Truth in Comedy: The Manual for Improvisation - Charna Halpern and Del Close
Cowboys-Steelers Super Bowl 30 Highlights
"Hold My Hand" - Hootie and the Blowfish
South Carolina takes down Confederate Flag
Tell Me Something I Don't Know podcast
Raves:
The Music of Strangers trailer
SIU-Edwardsville Percussion Professor and World of Percussion Webisode host Daniel Smithiger talks about the World of Percussion Web Series (02:20), his job at SIUE (12:15), growing up in Arizona (22:35), going to Northern Arizona University for undergrad (30:55), his years as a High School Band Director in Arizona (39:40), his grad student years at the University of Arizona (46:50), starting his college teaching career at Angelo State (01:02:50), and some words about Texas geography (01:07:10). He then gets subjected to some Random-Ass Questions (01:14:00).
Closing with a Rave on the movie “I Am Not Your Negro” (01:24:20).
Links:
World of Percussion on YouTube
Daniel Smithiger's Black Swamp page
Daniel Smithiger's article on Ionisation
"Go Your Own Way" - Fleetwood Mac
"Money for Nothing" - Dire Straits
"Prelude/Angry Young Man" - Billy Joel
"4 Movements for Marimba" - Michael Burritt
"Variations on Lost Love" - David Maslanka
"Inspirations Diabolique" - Rick Tagawa
"4 Pieces for Timpani" - John Bergamo
"Girl with the Flaxen Hair" - Debussy
Concertino for Marimba - Paul Creston
Beavis and Butthead Do America trailer
Raves:
Baylor University Percussion Professor, Liquidrum founder and Curb Your Enthusiasm Superfan Todd Meehan discusses his instrumental chair duties at Baylor (02:50), the beginnings of Liquidrum and his hilarious online videos (07:20), his upcoming Accessories book (13:10), getting to Baylor and replacing a legend (27:30), the impact of the Athletic Dept. transgressions on the music department (43:45), growing up in Houston (51:40), traveling to Long Island for family trips (53:30), going to DePaul and UT-Austin for undergrad (01:03:00), going to Yale for grad school (01:17:30), finishing his doctorate at UT-Austin while working full-time at Baylor (01:32:50), the USC-Texas 2006 Rose Bowl (01:36:00), and has time for some Random-Ass Questions (01:39:10).
Finishes with a rave on the Heart 80s hit song “Alone” (01:49:15).
Links:
Todd Meehan's Baylor University page
"Dances of Earth and Fire" - Peter Klatzow
Baylor University Sexual Assault Scandal
Baylor University Men's Basketball Murder Scandal
Raves:
University of North Alabama Percussion Professor Tracy Wiggins talks about the insanity around his getting the University of North Alabama job (01:30), the use of flub drums in his marching line (13:40), interviewing for his current job a second time (15:45), the effect of moving on his family (23:50), working at UNC Pembroke (26:50), growing up in Oklahoma and his years playing baseball and soccer (42:10), going to Oklahoma State in undergrad and marching Drum Corps (55:10), going to University of New Mexico for his Master’s (01:00:55), starting his Doctorate at Ohio State but finishing it at the Hartt School of Music (01:14:50), memories of 9/11 (01:23:55), and sports memories at Oklahoma State and the Bedlam Rivalry with Oklahoma (01:27:40). I then subject Tracy to some Random-Ass Questions (01:35:30).
Closing with a rave about a recent live Tower of Power show (01:46:10).
Links:
Tracy Wiggins' North Alabama page
Guardians of the Galaxy trailer
"Finale" from Shostakovich Symphony No. 5
Night on Bald Mountain - Mussorgsky
Adagio for Strings - Samuel Barber
"When I Call Your Name" - Vince Gill
Freelancers Drum and Bugle Corps
Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps
Oklahoma State 1995 Final Four run
"Fantasy" - Earth, Wind and Fire
The Music of Strangers trailer
Raves:
Tartleton State University Percussion Professor and @ percussion podcast co-host Ben Charles talks about the beginnings of @ percussion (03:25), his career beginnings at Florida Atlantic University (10:45) and Tartleton State (18:20), growing up in Richmond, VA (32:00), his experiences in high school vs. the Northern Virginia players (35:45), his fascination with Steve Jobs and Pixar movies and its relation to his job-hunting experiences (40:45), attending North Texas for undergrad (46:50), going to Illinois for his master’s after some harrowing student teaching experiences (01:00:45), working for Sears for one summer in Champaign-Urbana (01:06:50), getting to Miami for his doctorate and traveling around the area (01:22:30), and some Random-Ass Questions (01:32:50).
Finishing with a rave on Rembert Browne and Grammy History (01:41:15).
Links:
Ben Charles' Tartleton State page
Ben Charles' Innovative Percussion page
@ Percussion Homepage and YouTube page
"Third Construction" - John Cage
"Reflections on the Nature of Water" - Jacob Druckman
Ben Charles' Blog Post: "Making It" in a Creative Field
"Variations on Japanese Children's Songs - Keiko Abe
"Two Mexican Dances" - Gordon Stout
"Two Movements for Marimba" - Toshimitsu Tanaka
Becoming Steve Jobs - Brent Schlender
"Rebonds A/B" - Iannis Xenakis
"Khan Variations" - Alejandro Vinao
"Eight Pieces for Four Timpani" - Elliot Carter
"Rhapsody" - Takayoshi Yoshioka
"Mourning Dove Sonnet" - Christopher Deane
"Xylophonia" - George Hamilton Green
"And Legions Will Rise" - Kevin Puts
Raves:
@ Percussion podcast co-host and James Madison University Adjunct Percussion Professor Laurel Black talks about her duties at JMU (02:20), the beginnings of the @percussion podcast (08:30), joining the faculty at Concord University (WV) (14:55), teaching and developing her Movement for Musicians class (19:40); growing up in Knoxville, TN (27:35), getting into percussion, piano, singing, and theater (33:45), going to UT-Knoxville for undergrad (51:20), staying a 5th year to get a theater minor (01:00:30), her senior recital (including singing and playing on vibes) (01:03:20), thoughts on University of Tennessee athletics (01:13:35), going to Boston Conservatory for her master’s (01:17:10), when she finds time to read (01:24:40), and gets subjected to some random questions (01:31:05).
Finishing with a Rave about Tim Harford’s Messy (01:38:00).
Links:
Laurel Black's professional homepage
@ Percussion homepage and Youtube page
"Marimba Spiritual" - MInoru Miki
"Drums of Winter" - John Luther Adams
Skeptics Guide to the Universe Podcast
The Sound of Brushes - Ed Thigpen
The Vertical of the Role - Jurij Alschitz
An Actor Prepares - Constantin Stanislavski
"Three Moves for Marimba" - Paul Lansky
"To A Wild Rose" - Edward Macdowell
"Nothing Really Ever Happened" - from Is There Life After High School?
Eat, Pray, Love - Elizabeth Gilbert
The Social Psychology of Music
Raves:
Lone Star College – Kingwood Percussion Professor Marvin Sparks Jr. gives a brief overview of his class schedule (01:55) before talking about the PASIC panel on diversity and race relations and issues of diversity and economics in music (05:20), growing up in Chicago in the 1960s (23:50), a brief Chicago baseball discussion (39:45), going to Illinois-Champaign-Urbana for undergrad (42:40), being a professional musician back in Chicago (55:35), attending Eastern Illinois for grad school (01:04:00), his path after grad school (01:08:30), living in St. Louis (01:15:00), dealing with Houston traffic (01:16:05), and teaching at an HBCU vs. other institutions (01:19:50). I then ask Marvin some Random Questions (01:24:55).
Finishing with a rave on The Warmth of Other Suns (01:34:15).
Links:
Marvin Sparks, Jr.'s Evans page
Marvin Sparks, Jr.'s Humes & Berg page
The Black Chorus (University of Illinois)
Nancy Duarte's Five Rules for Presentations
Raves:
James Madison University Percussion Professor and @Percussion Podcast creator and co-host Casey Cangelosi and I talk about our experiences podcasting (02:15), and follow with Casey talking about getting the job and teaching at Concord University (WV) (06:25), transitioning from adjunct to full-time teaching (16:00), being on the job market and then getting the job and settling in at James Madison University (24:00), writing pieces as himself and under pseudonyms (29:00), growing up in Logan, Utah (40:00), musings about his @Percussion Podcast (50:40), Casey’s Dad’s basketball career at LSU (01:08:00), high school and college years in and out of Utah State (01:11:00), taking a year off to get fired at Old Navy (01:34:00), doing one master’s at Boston Conservatory (01:35:00), and a second at Rice University (01:50:00), and self-publishing (01:55:45). I then subject Casey to some Random Questions (02:05:35).
Finishing with a rave on Trombone Shorty (02:13:25).
Links:
Casey Cangelosi's Innovative Percussion Page
@ Percussion and on YouTube
"3 Etudes for Snare Drum" - Rupert Kettle
"Personal Jesus" - Depeche Mode
"West End Girls" - Pet Shop Boys
"Symphony of Destruction" - Megadeth
"Love Lies Bleeding" - Elton John
"Scherzo" from Symphony No. 8 - Dmitri Shostakovich
Raves:
St. Louis-based drumset artist (and Pete’s former Music Major) Charles Smotherson talks about his work schedule today (2:10), growing up in STL and KC and within the church (13:50), close calls and tough lessons in middle school and high school (38:25), when he started to figure it out to become a better player (50:20), recollections of their mutual time together at Lincoln (59:50), being a drum major at Lincoln (01:03:20), a scary traffic accident (01:09:40), reminiscing about his senior recital (01:19:40), beginnings of his teaching career (01:27:00), teaching while getting his certification (01:35:10), job changes (01:44:40), and ending his public school teaching career to begin his drumset career (01:53:00). Then, time for some Random-ass Questions (02:17:30).
Closing with a Rave of videos, books and movies about Martin Luther King, Jr. (02:34:05).
Links:
Charles Smotherson's lesson page
Charles Smotherson's YouTube page
"Of Thoughts and Thinking" - Antonio C. Lymon
"Dream of the Cherry Blossoms" - Keiko Abe
"Estudio No. 1" - Murray Houliff
"Mustang Sally" - WIlson Pickett
"Wake Me Up" - Dirty Loops (cover of Avicii)
Raves:
The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr.
University of Minnesota-Moorhead percussion professor Dr. Kenyon Williams talks about getting that job and the odd percussion situation in the Tri-College percussion system (03:55), growing up in the “Nazi Texas Band Tradition” (13:00), working in his dad’s Sculpting studio (19:50), the typical martial arts portion of the podcast (31:40), going to Abilene Christian University for undergrad (34:40), moving to Hartford, CT for his Master’s with his theater-manager wife (49:45), living in New England (57:15), getting to the University of Kentucky for the DMA (01:13:40), going to Cuba during his doctorate (01:23:45), doing his dissertation on Trinidadian Steel Pan Arrangers (01:35:00), and living in Minnesota winters (01:40:00).
Finishes with a rave about “Brown Girl Dreaming” by Jacqueline Woodson (01:42:20).
Links:
Kenyon Williams' Minnesota-Moorhead homepage
Kenyon WIlliams' Innovative Percussion Page
Kenyon Williams' article on Trinidadian Steel Bands
"She Who Sleeps with a Small Blanket" - Kevin Volans
"My Lady White" - David Maslanka
"Grand Fantasy" - Raymond Helble
"Cold Pressed" - David Hollinden
Keeneland Sales (horse auctions)
Kenyon Williams' arrangements at Coyle Drums
Raves:
Clip show! Clip show! Featuring help from David Grubb (:50), Jason Kihle (08:15), Laura Franklin (15:35), Edward White (19:45), Julia Gaines (24:15), Jeff Calissi (27:20), Josh Armstrong (29:15), Sherry Rubins (32:35), Nathan Daughtrey (35:50), Drew Worden (38:50), Jeff Hewitt (42:25), Bobby Lopez (44:40), and Victoria Sparks (48:20).
Links to full Pete's Percussion Podcast episodes included:
A New York themed episode this week, featuring University of Alabama Ethnomusicologist (and fellow native Long Islander) Jennifer Caputo. We discuss New York traffic (01:30), her story of arriving at Alabama (03:05), growing up in West Islip, NY (18:25), transitioning from violin to percussion (23:55), her high school years doing show choir, dance, and playing drumset for pit band (37:15), going to Queens College (CUNY) for undergrad (54:15), dealing with a comment from the crowd for her junior recital (01:09:30), working for Ethos Percussion Group before heading to Tufts University for her Master's (01:11:05), her master's thesis on Italian American Religious Festivals in Boston's North End (01:19:10), working on her Ph.d. at Wesleyan (CT) (01:29:40), researching in Southern Italy (01:35:00), and moving from the Northeast to the Deep South (01:42:20).
Closes with a rave on a special version of "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" (01:52:40).
Links:
Jennifer Caputo's Alabama page
Triborough Bridge (Now RFK Bridge)
Random Show Choir Cole Porter Performance
Journey Through a Japanese Landscape - Thea Musgrave
Raves:
"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" - The Partridge Family
University of Manitoba and Brandon University (MB) Percussion Professor Victoria Sparks talks about some end-of-the-semester oddities (02:40), Canada's cold weather and live hockey games (04:00); her current job situation and scheduling at 3 separate schools in Manitoba (07:15); getting filmed for a documentary (30:25); Canadian benefits? (34:45); growing up outside of Winnipeg (41:15); beginning piano and transitioning to percussion (56:50); doing undergrad at the University of Manitoba (01:08:15); her semester in Iceland (01:10:40); getting the master’s at Butler University while also working in the Orchestra Box Office (01:20:00); working with a community drumline in Indianapolis (01:36:45); watching the Butler men’s basketball team’s run to the NCAA Championship Game in 2010 (01:42:25); and the good and bad about being a woman in the percussion world (01:48:30).
Closes with a rave on a special version of "O Holy Night" (02:03:20).
Links:
Victoria Sparks' Brandon University page
University of Manitoba Percussion Page
Victoria Sparks' Prairie Percussion page
"Take the Long Way Home" - Supertramp
"The King of Denmark" - Morton Feldman
Gordon Hayward's half-court shot near-make vs. Duke, 2010
Rave:
Texas State University Percussion Professor (and Mariachi Guitar Hero) Bobby Lopez talks about the NordicTrack in my basement (02:00), getting the Trinity adjunct job and Texas State job (03:10), growing up in Corpus Christi, TX (24:05), beginnings of playing guitar (29:00), his life in mariachi bands (36:45), high school band (54:00), going to Del Mar College (01:01:45), calling Steve Weiss on the phone (01:15:15), being a band director in Corpus Christi and Austin (01:17:55), doing the Masters at Texas State University and then getting hired there (01:26:30), minority, diversity, and political issues (01:41:50), and getting involved in NCPP (01:55:10).
Closes with a rave on "Cut the Cake" (02:00:20).
Links:
Bobby Lopez's Texas State Page
Bobby Lopez's Innovative Percussion Page
Wayne's World - Guitar Shop Scene
"Marimba Spiritual" - Minoru Miki
"Variations on a Theme from The Magic Flute" - Fernando Sor/Potter
"Four Pieces for Timpani" - John Bergamo
Texas State University post-election Protests
Raves:
In a rare solo episode, Pete recounts his experiences at various clinics and performances from the Wednesday (00:35), Thursday (02:45), and Friday (08:10) days of PASIC 2016.
Links:
After discussing some upcoming hopeful Christmas albums (02:10), Park University College Professor and Shawnee Mission (KS) East Percussion Director Dr. Jeff Hewitt talks about what he’s doing these days (03:25), his work with the World Percussion Group (12:40), the WPG robbery in San Antonio (29:00), growing up in Kansas City (45:50), his love of Rock N Roll music (50:45), piano lessons and Guns N' Roses (58:50), high school percussion (1:09:20), Toad the Wet Sprocket merchandise (1:13:30), going to Kansas State for undergrad (01:18:10), the 2003 Big 12 Championship game upset (01:36:00), concert reviews (01:41:30), teaching public school in central Kansas (01:44:15), doing the Master’s at Mizzou (01:47:30), “Wednesday” music (01:57:30), doing the doctorate at Arizona (02:02:10) and Norm Weinberg’s rock band Sanctuary (02:09:00).
Finishes with raves: (02:11:00).
Links:
Park University International Center for Music
Shawnee Mission East Marching Bands
News story on San Antonio WPG robbery
National Conference on Percussion Pedagogy
"Bounce" Commercial with The Outfield's music
"November Rain" - Guns N' Roses
"Smells Like Teen Spirit" - Nirvana
"Just The Way You Are" - Billy Joel
"All I Want" - Toad the Wet Sprocket
"Omphalo Centric Lecture" - Nigel Westlake
"Rite of Passage" - Jesse Monkman
"Third Construction" - John Cage
"Spanesque Oscillations" - Steve Riley
"Winning It All" - The Outfield (Bulls 1996 championship)
"Twittering Machine" - Al Payson
"Lonelyness of Santa Claus" - Fredrik Andersson
"Prelude and Blues" - Ney Rosauro
2003 Big 12 Football Championship Highlights
Jeff Hewitt's article on White Laces in Whurk Magazine
"The Sinister Minister" - Bela Fleck and the Flecktones
"The Whole Toy Laid Down" - David Hollinden
"Martian Tribes" - Emmanuel Sejourne
Raves:
PASIC Preview Part 2: New England Conservatory of Music's Entrepreneurial Musicianship Program Director Drew Worden talks about getting the job at NEC (02:15), his PASIC presentation on wellness (12:05), Athletes vs. Musicians (19:30), growing up in Phoenix (29:50), going to Northern Arizona University for undergrad (41:00), playing drumset with Tonight Show bassist Joel DiBartolo (59:20), struggling to get into a Master’s Program (01:17:30), getting his Master’s at Eastman (01:23:45), and his 5 months at Mizzou (01:33:00).
Finishes with a PASIC rave (01:37:15).
Links:
New England Conservatory's Entrepreneurial Musicianship Website
Drew's arts medicine work at Eastman
Joel DiBartolo bass solo on Carson
Buddy Rich rim-shot-filled drum solo
SO Percussion Summer Institute
"Marimba Concerto" - Emmanuel Sejourne
Raves:
Stephen F. Austin percussion director Dr. Brad Meyer talks about his 2016 PASIC presentation on Burnout (01:55), getting the SFA job (10:00), growing up in Ermo (SC) and playing with the Bergen County Cadets (31:20), going to the University of Kentucky for undergrad (51:00), University of South Carolina for his Masters (01:14:30), back to UK for his doctoral degree (01:25:00), and Conceal and Carry in Texas (01:47:55).
Finishes with raves (01:50:25).
Links:
Brad Meyer's Stephen F. Austin page
"Classic African" - Joseph Aiello
"See Ya Thursday" - Steve Mackey
"South of Jupiter" - Thom Hasenpflug
Raves:
"Watching the Wheels" - John Lennon
"Watching the Wheels" - Greg Phillingaines and Aloe Blacc at the John Lennon 75th Anniversary convert.
