As a performing artist, we are always looking for new ways to improve and refine our craft. There are stumbling blocks along the path to mastery and for a lot of people, myself included, it happens in the practice room. A friend of mine from grad school, Annie Bosler, shared this video she created with along Don Greene for TedEd. Check out the video and then follow this link for the full lesson.
Dave Weckl just posted this video yesterday on his YouTube channel. The video features Chick Corea, Frank Gambale, Eric Marianthal, and John Patitucci performing as the Chick Corea Electric Band in Bangkok (March 2017).
On September 4, 2016, principal percussionist Raynor Carroll retired from the Los Angeles Philharmonic. After serving the orchestra for 33-years and playing countless concerts, he has decided to step down and continue directing the percussion program at UCLA. I was fortunate to take private lessons with Raynor from 1995 – 1998 while I was in the American Youth Symphony. I still remember my first phone call and lesson. Raynor changed the way that I approached timpani and percussion. Years later, I had the opportunity to teach with him at the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at CSULB and I will always be indebted to him for everything he taught me over the past 20 years. (more…)
Performed by Third Coast Percussion
Sean Connors, Robert Dillon, Peter Martin, David Skidmore
Blindnesses is scored for four percussionists— sharing one vibraphone— and electronic sound processing. The electronic component of the piece at times adds a cavernous artificial resonance to the sound, while at other times, it plays back distorted fragments of music performed by the live musicians earlier in the piece. The four percussionists- whose movements must be meticulously choreographed to perform together on a single instrument- create their own stark sonic contrasts with a variety of mallets and acoustic pitch bending effects. (more…)
Organized Rhythm, a percussion and organ duo featuring Clive Driskill-Smith and Joseph Gramley, performs J.S. Bach’s Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring. Be sure to check out their recording of the Planets by Holst.
