Percussive Notes

I wrote an article for the June 2022 issue of Percussive Notes, the official journal of the Percussive Arts Society, titled Theatrical Percussion: What is it, why is it interesting, and what can be learned from it? The article explores my experiences with theatrical percussion and how performing theatrical works can heighten a performers expressivity on stage.

@Percussion - a podcast

I served as a Co-Host and later Host and Producer of the @Percussion team from January of 2019 through December of 2022. @Percussion was a weekly podcast featuring interviews with prominent and up-and-coming percussionists, composers, and other musicians, alongside educational segments and discussions on topics relevant to our field. Highlights include episodes with Dame Evelyn Glennie, Steven Schick, and the PAS Diversity Alliance. The @Percussion team consists of Casey Cangelosi, Ben Charles, Ksenija Komljenovic, Caleb Pickering, and myself. Episodes are archived and still available on PodBean, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify - check it out!

PAS Educators’ Companion

The Educators’ Companion is a PAS publication, compiled by the Education Committee, focusing on providing percussion education resources to the music education community, specifically for the non-percussionist educator. I’ve had articles published in two recent issues:

Volume VII - Fall 2019: An Analytical Approach to Rudiments (pp. 20-23)

Volume VI - Spring 2019: Seven Things Band Directors Should Know about Timpani (pp. 4-7)

Discussions in Percussion Podcast

In October 2022, I was a guest on the Discussions in Percussion Podcast hosted by Damon Grant. We talked about my upcoming PASIC clinic, performing with expression, theatrical percussion, teaching, and so many other topics. You can listen to the episode and read Damon’s detailed show notes here.

Grover Pro Percussion Tech Talk Tuesday

In September 2020, I had the pleasure of chatting with Neil Grover of Grover Pro Percussion as a featured guest in the Tech Talk Tuesday interview series. You can view the interview here.

The Roots and Rhizomes Mentorship Project

In November 2020, I served on a panel discussion titled “On-line Dissemination of Music and Ideas” as part of The Roots and Rhizomes Mentorship Project, a panel discussion series created and hosted by Aiyun Huang and Steven Schick. This session’s panel included the team from @Percussion - a podcast, alongside percussionists Scott Deal and Ross Karre. You can view the discussion here (the discussion starts at ~20:43 into the Facebook Live broadcast).

Pete’s Percussion Podcast

In September 2019, Pete Zambito of Pete’s Percussion Podcast invited me to be a guest in Episode 158 of his podcast. It was fun to speak with Pete and go way back in time to talk about my musical roots, education, and current work.

The Synthesis of Artistic Elements in Works for Theatrical Percussion

My dissertation, titled The Synthesis of Artistic Elements in Works for Theatrical Percussion, discusses and analyzes ?Corporel by Vinko Globokar, Dressur by Mauricio Kagel, and Songs I-IX by Stuart Saunders Smith. A brief discussion of each composer's life and music is followed by an in-depth analysis of extra-musical artistic elements, including vocalizations, movement, and other dramatic elements. This study examines the extra-musical artistic elements that are included in each piece and how they relate to the piece as a whole, including analysis of notation and interpretation. It can be viewed and downloaded here.

PBS Special: Jazz and the Philharmonic

Released and aired nationally in 2014, the PBS Special Jazz and the Philharmonic features members of the Henry Mancini Institute alongside Bobby McFerrin, Chick Corea, Dave Grusin, Terence Blanchard, Mark O’Connor, Shelly Berg, and more!

The MassChap 2010 Xylophone Collection

In 2010, I was selected as a winner of a composition contest for solo xylophone and my composition “Ginger” was published by Bachovich Music Publications in The MassChap 2010 Xylophone Collection.