Question and explore the past in order to discover what they can learn from past performers/composers/percussionists. -explore repertoire for all instruments (beginning students may only look at snare or mallets, whereas older students may look at drumset/timpani/mallets/multi/etc) -explore orchestral repertoire and how percussion fits into a chamber setting -explore percussion chamber ensembles (whether that be only percussionists or percussionists with small ensembles) -explore jazz tradition and big bands -explore ethnic music from around the world (Gamelon, frame drumming of India, Afro-Cuban music, latin percussion, African percussion, etc) -----exploration of this in a one-on-one lesson could look like playing Wilcoxon, then Delecluse, then Peters on Snare (this would progress from American rudimental style drumming to french style to american style - almost chronologically)------
Find what works best for you as a player, develop your own style -focus on the sounds that are produced and how they are produced -moeller technique/ideas- awareness of body and how your muscles move to help you in music -different ideas, experiences, and such create a unique style and sound to our music- it draws us toward certain genres and ideas, certain groups of musicians around the world -----a lesson on this could be a timpani lesson where the student has to demonstrate playing the head, then discussing their body position and what happens if they change one thing every time they strike the head-----
Diversity -introducing students to the diverse community that is percussion -The nice thing about percussion is that it is found all over the world. -In Asia there are Taiko drums and frame drums, in Africa there is ensemble drumming, in Europe there are frame drums, in America there are ritual drums, etc -exploration of the different rhythms and where they come from -exploration of the different melodies and phrasings and where they come from -how those ideas are used traditionally and how they have become what we know in the Western side of music -even finding the diversity within our own Western tradition of music through composers and performers such as Darian Thomas, Ivan Trevino, Drew Tucker, Maria Finkelmeir, etc ------a lesson on this could look more like research or could consist of playing. Trevino has some amazing music for snare/marimba/multi, Drew Tucker has videos and information on how to play vibraphone, Darian Thomas has some performance art pieces that introduce new and old percussionists to a different subgenre of new (percussion) music, Finkelmier has amazing projects and performances to look to for inspiration).-------