Percussion Audition

I hope you are having a relaxing, productive summer and are looking forward to the 2018-2019 school year. I wanted to inform you of some of the activities and responsibilities you have in Term I this fall at Lawrence. 

As you know, classes begin September 11th with percussion auditions for all major ensembles (except jazz) on September 10, at 7:00p.m. Jazz auditions for big bands and combos will be at 3:10. Please sign up for a time slot on my office door. 

PERCUSSION MAJORS, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU READ THROUGH AS MANY WILCOXON AND CIRONE SNARE ETUDES AS POSSIBLE THIS SUMMER AS WELL AS SIGHT READ 2 AND 4 MALLET KEYBOARD MATERIAL--- EVEN IF IT IS JUST ON A PIANO. KNOW ALL YOUR MAJOR AND MINOR SCALES. PLEASE GO TO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ld1pOsCB2FY TO WORK THIS OPEN AND CLOSE TECHNIQUE BY GORDIE KNUDTSON---TYPE OF MOELLER TECHNIQUE. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO HAVE SOME FAMILARITY WITH FOR FIRST DAY OF CLASSES!

Freshmen who are not majoring in music should prepare an etude in all areas of percussion performance that best demonstrates their technical level.  Freshmen who are majoring in music should prepare an etude in all areas of percussion performance.  Here is a list of repertoire that you could consider, other selections will be considered: snare drum - #32 from Portraits of Rhythm by Cirone, keyboard percussion – any Bach transcription, orchestral excerpts or some other etude, timpani - demonstrate tuning and perform etude of your choice.  There will also be sight-reading in each of these areas.  In addition, be prepared to demonstrate techniques on assorted percussion accessories such as tambourine, triangle, and cymbals.  You can use orchestral excerpts if you like is these areas, as well. 

Returning students should prepare orchestral excerpts for auditions in the areas snare drum, keyboard percussion, timpani, tambourine, triangle, and crash cymbals. Use this opportunity to prepare different excerpts you have done in the past, if possible.

There will be a mandatory studio meeting for all percussion students studying with me and performing in the ensembles on September 11 at 11:10 p.m. in Room 27.   Please bring your date books and course schedules.  Read this paragraph again!

All percussion majors should own their own metronome, practice pad, assortment of snare drum sticks, keyboard percussion mallets (i.e. xylophone, bells, vibes, marimba), timpani mallets (four pairs:  wood, general, staccato, legato), triangle beaters and clips, A-440 tuning fork, dictionary of percussion terms, and pocket size music dictionary. You should also have an attaché case of some sort in which to carry your mallets and music.  Here is a list of manufacturers and mallet types that you can choose from. Though there are many other types from which to choose:

	Company	Type
Snare Drum	Vic Firth	General
Snare Drum	Vic Firth	P. Erskine
Brushes	Real Tip	Telescopic
Combination Stick	Vic Firth	Swizzle G
Timpani	Black Swamp	General-Bamboo Staccato shaft-maple Cartwheel soft-maple Wood maple
Marimba	Encore	Orange-medium 2pr. (rattan handles or birch) Teal medium hard
Vibes	Malletech	D. Samuels Model #18 2 pair
Xylophone	Malletech	Orchestra series Large rosewood rattan Becker blues
Bells	Malletech  Mike Balter	Orchestra series-black Small plastic fiberglass handle
Triangle beaters & clip	Stoessel or Black Swamp
Drum Mutes	You can make your own
Tambourine	Grover, Black Swamp
Triangle	Grover, Black Swamp

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can order through Steve Weiss Music or Percussion Source------two places I recommend.

Freshmen, I realize you might not be able to purchase all of these implements before school begins, but I strongly encourage you to have them by the end of Term I.  All returning students are required to have a variety of mallets in order not to borrow from your colleagues.

Required method books for Term I

FRESHMEN

Snare Drum
            Developing Dexterity by M. Peters
            The Snare Drum Roll by G. Olmstead
            The All-American Drummer by Wilcoxon
            Douze Etudes by Delecluse
            Portraits in Rhythm by Cirone

Keyboard

            Modern School of Xylo, Vibes, and Bells by M. Goldenberg
            Ideo Kinetics by G. Stout
            Method of Movement by L. H. Stevens
            Rhythmical Articulation by Bona
            Vibraphone Technique by David Friedman
            4 Mallet Marimba Technique by Nancy Zeltsman
            Symphonic Repertoire for Keyboard Percussion by Jack Van Geem

Drum Set

            Advanced Techniques for the Modern Drummer Vol. 1 by J. Chapin
            The Art of Bop Drumming by John Riley
            The Jazz Drummers Workshop by John Riley

Congas

            The Conga Drummer’s Guidebook by Michael Spiro

General

             Techniques of Playing Bass Drum, Cymbals and Accessories by Payson

 

SOPHOMORE CLASS

All of the above, including timpani methods:
Modern Method for Timpani by Goodman 
Twenty Studies for Timpani by Delecluse

Exercises, Etudes and solos for the Timpani by Raynor Carroll
AfroCuban Rhythms for Drum Set by Frank Malabe
Brazilian Rhythms for Drum Set by Duduka da Fonseca

I look forward to working with you and to an exciting first term. We have a number of exciting performances and visiting guest artists this yea. Some are early on in Term I, so please come with the materials I requested and be well prepared for your audition. Please call me if you have any questions. My telephone number is 920-470-1773, office 920-832-6441.

Sincerely, 

Dane Richeson