<p>I'm entertaining the idea of majoring in music in college (that's not to say that music isn't important to me-- I LOVE music, but I just don't know where it could take me... unpredictability scares me a bit), and my speciality is all things percussion. Does anybody know of a school with a great percussion department? Not necessarily drum-line ish, but maybe more orchestra-oriented. </p>
<p>Just a note: I've been playing drums for nearly four years (self taught until recently-- during the school year, I take lessons from a percussionist in the local army band; in the all-pacific honor bands, I get good marks for auditions and chair high), I've done jazz set for about two now for the school jazz band, and have played mallets for about five, with a background in classical piano spanning ten years (but I'm definately no prodigy :P).</p>
<p>Some of the really top notch percussion teachers are at the Manhattan School, Juilliard, U of North Texas, and Boston University.
MSM and UNT have excellent jazz in addition to classical programs, making them popular choices for percussionists.</p>
<p>I have a percussionist friend who turned down Juilliard and Curtis for Oberlin on the basis of teacher.</p>
<p>UNT's percussion program isn't for everyone...it's more of a marching percussion school, plus there are an enormous number of percussion majors, few of which actually get to study with Mark Ford (or so I'm told).</p>
<p>Percussionists often get relegated to marching, and in many places they are seen as the dregs of the music world, with much less talent or native musicality than students of other instruments. People seem to think anyone can bang on a drum (I dare them to try to keep time during pieces with constantly changing time signatures!).</p>
<p>It is important to find a match of student ensembles, teachers, etc. in an environment that utilizes percussionists in way that resonates with you.</p>
<p>Wow, so would you say that percussion in college means marching is inevitable? I'm wondering because my school is tiny and underfunded, so we don't have the resources for a marching band... so, I have almost no experience with marching.</p>
<p>"Wow, so would you say that percussion in college means marching is inevitable?"</p>
<p>Absolutely not. UNT in particular is very well known for their marching percussion program (for good reason), and isn't a terribly good orchestral percussion school, but this definitely is not true of all other schools. The majority of good music schools which turn out successful professionals do not focus much or at all on marching percussion.</p>
<p>I think the big ten schools, as well as other large (primarily public) universities with big sports programs, rely heavily on their marching bands, with the requisite significant percussion component. There are a lot of people who can be good marching percussionists, who are not good orchestral or band percussionists. I have seen this plenty of times. There is a very sophisticated level of play in top percussionists, as with other instruments, but perhaps even more so with percussionists, since they tend to be undervalued.</p>
<p>This is why I think it is important to go to a conservatory, college or university and listen to their ensembles and orchestras, as well as meet the teachers, directors and other students, in order to find a good "fit".</p>
<p>Ah man. Not an option for me to communicate with the teachers directly-- only via e-mail. This is the only time I dislike living in Japan. T__T</p>
<p>Do you think if I asked the music teachers at the various schools I may want to attend to send recordings of their various ensembles, they would? </p>
<p>Fiddlefrog-- I guess both. I was just wondering about things in general...</p>
<p>Visirale-- Wow, that sounds great.
But UNF isn't an option for me, sadly, although I have a ton of friends going there. T__T</p>
<p>So now that I know marching isn't everything in college (big relief), just a question: Do most schools require their percussionists to play trad, or do they not really care?</p>
<p>I can't imagine that they'd care, provided you play up to their standards. Don't hold me to that, though - contact the teachers themselves and ask.</p>
<p>Does anyone have any suggestions for a percussionist who wants to audition for North Texas or Indiana? Who should you go to for the preaudition lesson? What to see if you visit the music schools?</p>
<p>My D is a percussionists and will be attending SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music. Part of the reason being the adjunct teachers are just as well known as the main professor and that she can get a double major in music ED and performance at the same time. My D has been playing percussion for 8 years now and the one thing she has come to learn is that you need to either change teachers once in a while or to have more than one at a time or you get stuck in a rut. Her teachers were not happy at the beginning but once they saw her grow they now tell other students to do the same thing. Over the last 4 years she has played Drum set for 2 nationally known jazz bands, general Percussion for an internationally known Youth Orchestra that did a European performance tour last year as well as 4 other local ensembles and 5 musicals. She has also won a Concerto competition on the Marimba. She has had some of the best private teachers we could find but it has all come down to where she feels comfortable going to University and that she does not want to get lost in the crowd. We know of a couple of big unis that are great to say you got into (she was offered half a full ride at one) but if you are not the best then you do get forgotten. In her opinion it is much more important for her to be comfortable and learning than it is to be fighting for that top spot at all costs including her health. She truly believes that the top spot will be hers when the time is right.</p>
<p>You should inquire about the music program at Washington State University. Professor David Jarvis for percussion is a great guy and fine instructor who runs an excellent department with good mix of classical concert percussion , jazz drum set and marching band drumming.</p>
<p>My son was accepted into the percussion programs at Indiana, UNT and SMU this past spring. He is going to be attending IU. There are many reasons for his choice but the faculty at Indiana - Steve Houghton (drumset and current President of Percussive Arts Society), John Tafoya (orchestral percussion), Kevin Bobo (Marimba, vibes), and Michael Spiro (world percussion) was one of the biggest reasons. The size of the percussion studio at IU vs. UNT was another. 150 percussion majors at UNT vs 50 at IU. All private lessons at IU are with one of the four professors above. At UNT most undergrad lessons are with grad asst’s. Also, IU is now offering a minor in jazz for percussion majors. Neither school makes marching a requirement. Please email me if you would like more detailed information on IU.</p>
<p>For classical percussion,we have a friend who is a percussion major at St. Olaf–apparently, their percussion dep is one of the best in the country.</p>