Percussion (and other things)
Andrea Brown (University of Michigan) returns to talk about the reality of being a woman in many facets of the band world (01:20), handling the “being a woman conductor” question (14:15), the influence of social media and the #MeToo movement (22:25), her years working as a clinician in DCI (26:30), and time for some Random-Ass Questions (39:50).
Finishing with a rave on Antonio Sanchez and “Birdman Live!” (53:20).
Links:
Natalie Portman at the Golden Globes
Raves:
University of Michigan Assistant Band Director Andrea Brown talks about getting the job at Michigan (01:50), her conducting research project “Maestra” (09:00), heading to UNCG for her doctorate after teaching at Austin Peay University (TN) (20:35), growing up in western TN (25:10), her years in Drum Corps (36:50), going to Austin Peay for undergrad (42:30) and studying at Brevard Summer Music Camp, eventually heading to UNCG for Master’s in Horn Performance and Music Education (56:20).
Finishing with a Rave on Ta-Nehisi Coates’ “We Were Eight Years in Power” (01:18:30)
Links:
Michigan's 2013 Final Four run
Raves:
Seattle-based percussionist, composer and former owner of the Drum Exchange Ed Hartman talks about his career right now (01:35), changes for YouTube channels (04:35), 25 years of owning the Drum Exchange (19:00), film scoring and finding your tribes (32:20), thoughts about college (53:50), growing up in Illinois (58:40), going to Indiana University in undergrad and studying with Richard Johnson (01:10:35), and answering some Random-Ass Questions (01:34:50).
Finishing with a Rave on Eva Cassidy’s version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” (01:54:05).
Links:
Raves:
Delta State University Percussion Professor Josh Armstrong returns to find something to talk about (01:35) before getting to his new life as a father (03:30), the renovations to Delta State’s music building (11:00), Mississippi winning the PAS Chapter Award (22:20), Texas Tech Basketball (28:05), other new projects (32:50) and he finally gets subjected some Random-Ass Questions (37:20).
Finishing with a Rave on the 2017 movie “Lucky” (55:15).
Links:
Josh Armstrong's Episode 10 Appearance
Josh Armstrong's Marimba One page
"Left of the Dial" - Steven Snowden
The Blair Witch Project trailer
Raves:
Young Women’s Leadership Academy Music Teacher and Percussionist Amy Smith joins the show to talk about teaching and living in El Paso, TX (02:00), her experiences learning Music Therapy (14:30), her career with The Caixa Trio and their experiences being women in the percussion world (21:45), growing up all over the USA and Canada (36:15), going to Penn State to study with Dan Armstrong for undergrad (52:25), briefly studying with Cort McClaren before doing her master’s at UC-Boulder with Doug Walter (58:25), post-grad work and traveling to Ghana (01:03:20), teaching high school in TN and IN (01:11:40), and quickly making her way through the Random-Ass Questions (01:25:25).
Finishing with a brief snippet from Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Letter From a Birmingham Jail (01:32:05).
Links:
Gabby Giffords doing Music Therapy
"Billie Jean" - Michael Jackson
Rave:
Alabama State University Percussion Professor Teddy Hall, Jr. discusses how he got the ASU job and his career path to getting there (02:00), his research on Richard Johnson, Indiana University’s first Percussion Professor (25:55), growing up in Birmingham, AL and taking some important trips to the Northeast United States (46:25), the 2017 Alabama Senate Race (01:00:55), his varied undergrad career (01:06:20), doing his master’s at Ole Miss with Ricky Burkhead (01:31:30), and taking time to do some Random-Ass Questions (01:42:20).
Finishing with a Rave on the classic film “Two For the Road” (01:57:25).
Links:
Teddy Hall, Jr.'s Pearl Drums Page
Teddy Hall, Jr. at Alabama State
The Marimba Festival Orchestra
"Come Sunday" - Duke Ellington
"Three Brothers" - Michael Colgrass
"Mirror From Another" - David Friedman
"Classic African" - Joseph Aiello
"Variations on the Westminster Clock Theme" - James Latimer
Star Wars: The Last Jedi trailer
"I Would Die For You" - Prince
Raves:
CLIP SHOW! CLIP SHOW! This year's "Best of" features the new segment, "Random-Ass Questions". With answers to "Has anyone ever nailed an impression of you?" (02:30), "What's your biggest kitchen mess-up?" (09:15), "What's your highest/lowest sports moment?" (15:35), "What's the most impractical item of clothing you own?" (24:40), "What's your best non-monetizeable skill?" (27:05), "Where would you like to travel to?" (34:50), "What's a great movie and what's a terrible movie?" (41:40), "What's your favorite Michael Jackson song?" (54:30), "What's either your most embarrassing, funniest or strangest performance moment involving you?" (01:03:05), and "What one piece of art has impacted you the most recently?" (01:24:45).
Following with one of Pete's favorite Raves, on Tower of Power (01:45:10).
Seavine Gloves Founder and CEO Chelsea Levine talks about the beginnings of the company (01:45), how the company has evolved over the years (11:30), her PASIC 2017 Clinic (25:50), growing up in Atlantic City (NJ) and getting involved in Drum Corps at a young age (31:50), growing up playing sports (44:50), her brief college career (50:20), teaching and being a female in WGI (01:01:00) and gives her time to answer some Random-Ass Questions (01:03:02).
Finishes with a Rave on Planes, Trains and Automobiles (01:19:00).
Links:
Raves:
The return of the Percussive Arts Society (PAS) Executive Director Joshua Simonds! Joshua talks about the success of PASIC 2017 (01:20), his schedule post-PASIC (08:20), the physical set up for the conference (16:20), Rhythm Discovery, PASIC surprises and getting ready for next year (23:00), other conferences he attends during the year (34:20), growing up in southern CA, watching space shuttles and sports (36:25), his high school experiences as percussionist and drum major (48:00), going to Long Beach State (CA) for undergrad (53:10), his college year abroad in the U.K. (57:20), getting his Master’s in Arts Management at American University (DC) (01:06:40), meeting his spouse (01:15:55), and has time for Random-Ass Questions (01:23:50).
Finishing with a rave on the TV series GLOW (01:37:20).
Links:
Joshua Simonds on Pete's Percussion Podcast, part 1
Sandy Hook Elementary Shooting
Raves:
Indiana University (IU) Percussion Professor Kevin Bobo talks about getting the IU job and his percussion colleagues (02:25), getting sick during his interview there (13:00), basketball madness at Wichita State, KU and IU (27:10), his publishing and composing career (33:45), what happens when you write really hard music (43:10), growing up in rural Kansas and Missouri (50:20), playing really hard lit as a teenager (01:00:45), securing practice space during his undergrad at Wichita State (01:07:35), going to Ithaca College for his master’s (01:17:50), funding a CD by playing marimba in bars (01:27:50), developing his performing sense of humor (01:37:00), and withstanding my Random-Ass Questions (01:47:50).
Finishing with a Rave on the Jose Saramago novels Blindness and Seeing (02:01:00)
Links:
Kevin Bobo's Indiana University website
Kevin Bobo's Mostly Marimba Music page
Kevin Bobo's Percmaster Works page
"Rumble Strips" - Gordon Stout
"Marriage of the Lamb" - Kevin Bobo
Indiana University Percussion Department
"Northern Lights" - Eric Ewazen
"Method of Movement" = L.H. Stevens
"Yellow After The Rain" - Mitchell Peters
"Two Mexican Dances" - Gordon Stout
"Sea Refractions" - Mitchell Peters
"Velocities" - Joseph Schwantner
"Prelude and Fugue in B-Flat Major" - JS Bach
"Under the Bridge" - Red Hot Chili Peppers
"White Rabbit" - Jefferson Airplane
"Uneven Souls" - Nebojsa Zivkovic
"Four Episodes" - Gordon Stout
"Rhythmic Jambalaya" - Kevin Bobo
"Virginia Tate" - Paul Smadbeck
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon trailer
"Greatest Love of All" - Coming to America
Raves:
Lamon Lawhorn (NC A&T Professor and Episode 35 guest) returns to talk about Emmitt Smith (05:45), teaching at the Austrian Percussion Camp in August (07:30), summer traveling (27:50), his (then) upcoming PASIC clinic on The Evolution of Contemporary Gospel Drumming (34:45), his enjoyment of my podcast (58:20), great and so-so Dallas Cowboy running backs (01:02:50), his feelings on race and education (01:09:50) and how we were going to interrupt someone studying at PASIC (01:20:15).
Finishes with a rave on a photo exhibit on Surveillance (01:21:10).
Links:
Lamon Lawhorn's previous Podcast appearance
Zildjian "Inspirational" Cymbal Pack
Raves:
The Wichita Art Museum Exhibitions
Leander, TX area High School/Middle School Percussion Director Emily Tannert Patterson compares the podcast to “60 Minutes” and some cat-related content (03:05), her (then upcoming) PASIC presentation (04:20), percussion specialists throughout Texas (15:55), women in percussion (20:25), the twists and turns of her career so far (28:30), growing up in Knoxville, TN (51:00), her love of Phil Collins (01:00:45), her alternate career in broadcast journalism and speech/debate (01:07:10), her undergrad years at Northwestern and her eventual second undergrad degree at LSU (01:12:10), the drum corps years (01:18:30), learning under Brett Dietz and Tom Burritt (01:23:40), her masters degree recital (01:27:45) and the Random-Ass Questions segment (01:31:30).
Finishing with a Rave on the concert film “Sign ‘O’ The Times” (01:47:45).
Links:
Emily Tannert Patterson's Homepage
Emily Tannert Patterson's PASIC page
Emily Tannert Patterson's Innovative Percussion Page
"Another Day in Paradise", "Easy Lover", "Sussudio" - Phil Collins
"Three Shells" - Christopher Deane
"Vertical River" - Blake Tyson
"Conversation" - Akira Miyoshi
Raves:
Florida State University Historical Musicology doctoral student Haley Nutt talks about her (then upcoming) 2017 PASIC presentation on Women Composers (03:40), growing up near Dallas, TX, and her backgrounds in piano and tennis (22:25), band in high school (33:40), going to Texas Christian University for undergrad (38:50), the differences between Historical and Ethno-Musicology (43:50), her recital programs at TCU (52:20), studying with Brian West and John Parks (55:10), working with and directing FSU's Rock Ensemble (01:00:25), and working through the Random-Ass Questions (01:06:35).
Finishing with a Rave on "The Problem with Apu" (01:17:45).
Links:
"Pathetique" Sonata - Beethoven
"Moonlight" Sonata - Beethoven
"Charleston Capers" - G. H. Green
"Clair de Lune" - Debussy (vibraphone arrangement)
"Black or White" - Michael Jackson
Rave:
Michigan State University Percussion Professor Gwen Dease talks about getting the job at MSU (02:50), her connection to Bob Van Sice (10:20), the challenges of keeping the program up while also being a female tenured percussion professor with a family (13:10), the PASIC experience (19:00), growing up in St. Louis and playing violin (26:00), doing high school at Interlochen Arts Academy (33:00), going to Eastman for undergrad (40:40), her interest in pottery (43:00), going to Peabody for Master’s Degree No. 1 (53:00), going to Yale for Master’s Degree No. 2 (01:05:50), getting used to the institutional size of Michigan State (01:16:15), and getting through the Random-Ass Questions (01:19:45).
Finishing with a Rave on the documentary “George Michael: Freedom” (01:29:00).
Links:
Gwen Dease's Michigan State page
Gwen Dease performs "Khan Variations"
"Luminescent Experiment" - Josh Trentadue
"Symphonie Espagnole" - Edward Lalo
"Variations on Japanese Children's Songs - Keiko Abe
"Velocities" - Joseph Schwantner
"Village Burial with Fire" - James Wood
"Autumn Island" - Roger Reynolds
Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion - Bela Bartok
Raves:
As part of this year's PASIC 2017 Preview, four presenters come on the podcast to talk about their clinics and performances.
Gwen Dease talks about Michigan State's Percussion Ensemble Showcase concert, 10AM Thursday in the Sagamore Ballroom (01:25).
Haley Nutt discusses her presentation about 20th Century Women Percussion Composers, 1PM Thursday in Room 204 (09:00).
Emily Tannert Patterson gives background on her talk about Success for Teaching Grades 6-12 Percussion, 9AM Friday in Room 204 (28:20).
Lamon Lawhorn chats about Contemporary Gospel Drumming, 11AM Friday in Room 204 (40:30).
Links:
After opening with a pitch to come to PASIC 2017, Percussive Arts Society Executive Director Joshua Simonds talks about getting the job at PAS (03:50), preparing for the interview along with some job-seeking pointers (09:15), negotiating a contract with a non-profit (30:45), getting burned out working for non-profits (35:25), having a spouse in non-profit work (41:25), transitioning to the new job and taking on issues (43:10), getting ready for PASIC 2016 vs. PASIC 2017 (50:20), comparing PAS to his previous job with the Chicago Youth Symphony (59:25), why PASIC is so frequently in Indianapolis (01:05:20), other aspects of his current job (01:24:25), and what’s working with PAS Memberships (01:28:50).
Links:
Part 3 (One Year Later) of the “The Jeff Calissi Experience” begins with recent events at Eastern Connecticut State University (02:20), Jeff getting to hear about my own Senior (Piano) Recital (09:10), administrative issues an ECSU’s new music building (10:35), maintaining his current job while also keeping an eye on the college job market (25:00), his thoughts on social media and percussion (37:40), a brief interlude on food, diet and exercise (41:55), and Jeff dealing with the Random-Ass Questions (along with a possible intro song) and talking about his strong thoughts on the New York Rangers franchise (47:10).
Finishes with a Rave on Meal-Kit Services (01:13:15).
Links:
Jeff Calissi from 2016: Part 1 and Part 2
ECSU Percussion Ensemble Highlights from April 2017 concert
"Confluence" - Jeff Calissi and Matthew Bronson
"Variations on Lost Love" - David Maslanka
Mike Richter saves Pavel Bure's penalty shot, 1994 Finals
"Better Find a Church" - JD and The Straight Shot
Don't Stop Til You Get Enough, Human Nature, Blame it On The Boogie, Shake Your Body Down (To the Ground), Say Say Say - Michael Jackson
Rufus Wainwright does "Piano Man" at Kennedy Center Honors
Rufus Wainwright does "Wrapped Around Your Finger" by The Police
Libera does "Love & Mercy" at Kennedy Center Honors
"Wouldn't It Be Nice" - The Beach Boys
Raves:
South Dakota State Percussion Professor Aaron Ragsdale hears about last week’s podcast (01:40), getting the job at SDSU (02:20), growing up in Fayetteville, AR (22:50), the UNLV-Arkansas 1991 basketball game and Scotty Thurman’s shot against Duke (34:20), School Theater and writing a One-Act Play in high school (40:00), going to the University of Oklahoma for undergrad (44:15), being a “gunslinger percussionist” (56:10), going to Arkansas to study under his father for his master’s (01:07:50), doing his doctorate at Rutgers (01:18:00), and going for some Random-Ass Questions (01:36:35).
Finishing with a rave on a work by Alfred Schnittke (01:52:10).
Links:
Aaron Ragsdale's South Dakota State page
Aaron Ragsdale's Innovative Percussion Page
SDSU-Maryland 2015 NCAAs highlights
"Concertino" - Toshiro Mayuzumi
"Meditation and Dance" - David Steinquest
"Sonata for Timpani" - John Beck
"American Suite" - Guy Gauthreaux
"Furioso and Valse in D Minor" - Earl Hatch
UNLV-Arkansas 1991 (the punch)
1964 Arkansas Razorbacks football
The Mousetrap - Agatha Christie
"Fantasy on Japanese Wood Prints" - Alan Hovhaness
"Adventures of Ivan" - Aram Khachaturian/L.H. Stevens
"French Suite" - William Kraft
"Northern Lights" - Eric Ewazen
"Gate to Heaven" - David Gillingham
Eight Pieces for Four Timpani - Elliot Carter
"Beneath the Canopy" - Philip Parker
"Nagoya Marimbas" - Steve Reich
"Velocities" - Joseph Schwantner
"EDGE (Corrugated Box)" - Bruce Hamilton
"Wanna Be Startin Something" - Michael Jackson
Station Eleven - Emily St. John Mandel
March Trilogy - John Lewis and Andrew Aydin
Raves:
"Collected Songs Where Every Verse is Filled with Grief" - Alfred Schnittke
Long-time University of Arkansas Percussion Instructor Chal Ragsdale talks about “Sabbatical Beard” (01:50), starting at Arkansas in 1975 (03:00), his years as department chair and being the institutional memory (13:20), living in Fayetteville and the Walmart Influence (31:00), growing up as the son of a TV News Producer (41:45), Rock Music Influences (including Kansas) (49:25), high school students today (01:00:00), going to Auburn for undergrad (01:07:25), teaching high school band in Reeltown (AL) (01:15:20), going to East Carolina University (NC) for grad school (01:22:20), his first name (01:27:40), Random-Ass Questions (01:32:00), and a tag on researching Percy Grainger (01:48:30).
Finishing with a rave on the movie Whitney: Can I Be Me (01:50:40).
Links:
"Dust in the Wind", "Carry On Wayward Son", "Point of Know Return" - Kansas
"Music for a Summer Evening" - George Crumb
"March and Polonaise for Timpani" - Julius Tausch
"Theme and Variations" - George Frock
"Suite for Marimba" - Paul Fissinger
Raves:
St. Louis Symphony Orchestra Principal Percussionist Will James talks about his current job (01:45), performing with the New World Symphony (05:50), the STL Symphony audition process and winning the job (19:35), day-to-day symphony work and being on the other side of the audition process (31:45), money, audience size, and cancellations (37:35), working at Mizzou (45:15), growing up in Raleigh, NC (47:10), his sports background and Duke affiliation (51:40), his undergrad career at Northwestern (58:50), his graduate work at New England Conservatory of Music (01:06:00), and his tolerance for my Random-Ass Questions (01:12:15).
Finishing with a rave on the local Roots, Blues and BBQ Festival (01:19:50).
Links:
Will James' St. Louis Symphony page
Will James' Signature Snare Drum
Herbie Hancock and Vinnie Colaiuta
Raves:
