North Indian Drumming (lecture-demonstration)

Discussion of the tabla - the most important percussion instrument in North Indian classical music: construction of the instruments; historical and cultural placement; basic aspects of the playing technique; repertoire and the structure of traditional solo performance; accompaniment techniques and improvisation. Will include demonstration performance on the drums. Questions and answers are a desirable aspect of this presentation. 1 hour minimum, preferable is 1.5 to 2 hours.

Xylophone History and Performance Concepts (lecture-demonstration)

Discussion of the ancestry of the hybrid North American xylophone and the history of its development through the Deagan era. Discussion, using recorded historical examples, of the development of playing styles from around the turn of the century through 1940. Particular attention to G.H. Green and his styles of improvisation. 1.5 hour minimum, 2 hours preferable.

West African Drumming (hands-on workshop)

Discussion of basic structural principles found in many West African drum ensemble traditions: cyclic repetition; rhythmic ambiguity; conversation. Drum families and varieties of construction methods. Basic hand and stick techniques. Social aspects of music in African cultures. Most of the workshop is devoted to learning several traditional ensemble styles drawn primarily from the ethnic groups of present-day Ghana. There is no particular limit to the number of participants, however only eight to ten people would be involved in actual performance at any given time. 2 hours minimum.

The Magic and Mystery of Cymbals (lecture-demonstration)

Brief history of the modern Turkish cymbal and etymology of terms. Discussion and demonstration of basic types of crashes, special effects with two plates, techniques for suspended cymbals, and options for selecting and combining cymbals. Discussion and demonstration, using excerpts from the symphonic and contemporary repertoire, of approaches to performance issues such as misleading and/or ambiguous notation, dynamics and instructions. Consideration of the concept that imaginative and creative interpretation is encouraged when problems are viewed as opportunities for personal expression. 1.5 to 2 hours.

Melodic Snare Drumming and Rudimental Arithmetic

Melodic Snare Drumming is a conceptual approach to playing snare drum that involves physically hearing or - equally well - imagining a melodic accompaniment while performing or practicing. This idea is in fact very old, and for centuries was the system through which military-style drumming was taught, practiced and played. The first part of the workshop is simply an invitation to listen and experience the relationships between some traditional drum beatings and the melodies from which they were derived. In order to create these relationships, drummers used patterns that came to be called rudiments - patterns containing information regarding rhythmic shape, stroke density, time value and sticking. The second part of the workshop, Rudimental Arithmetic, is also about a conceptual approach to playing the snare drum, however, rather than a particular way of listening, it involves a particular way of thinking. Specifically, it is an analysis of the flexible rhythmic character and densities of rudiments - in particular rolls, diddles and drags - and a demonstration of how the concepts may be applied to interpretation, improvisation and composition.

The Music of Steve Reich (hands-on workshop)

Discussion and demonstration of special techniques used in the early, percussion-based works of the composer Steve Reich: building-up of rhythmic patterns; canonic repetition; phasing; identifying and imitating resultant patterns in multiple out-of-phase canons. The actual hands-on activity in this workshop should be limited to four or five advanced performers, as the concepts involved take some time to assimilate. There is no limitation on the number of interested observers who could be present as well, although their actual participation would be limited. Repertoire would include pieces such as Clapping Music, Music for Pieces of Wood, Marimba Phase and Drumming. 2 hours or more, depending on repertoire to be covered.

Ragtime Xylophone Intensive (hands-on course)

The aim of the course is to provide a conceptual framework for performance of the classic solo xylophone repertoire of the first half of the twentieth century. The main thrust will be toward developing a general feeling for style and a basic acquaintance with the repertoire, as well as defining approaches to improvisation via the performance styles of Green, Herman, et al. The primary practical work will be concerned with developing two mallet facility and the development of a functional ability to create spontaneous variations on standard chord progressions using a variety of improvisational styles. Regular reference will be made to recordings of the period, published compositions and lesson books of George H. Green and others, and a selection of standard popular songs of the 1920's. It is not required that students be accomplished improvisers, however it is necessary that they know the fundamentals of music theory. It is expected that all participants will already be familiar with basic chords and scales in all keys. Three 2-hour sessions, minimum.

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