African drumming studio

Faculty:
Randy Gloss Percussion/World Percussion
David Johnson Coordinator of Percussion Studies, Percussion
Amy Knoles Percussion
Houman Pourmehdi World Percussion

The Percussion/World Percussion Program provides a comprehensive survey of the percussion field. The curriculum covers traditional classical study, intense chamber music and percussion ensemble experience, improvisation, world music (including Persian, Latin, African, North Indian and Indonesian percussion), jazz, and electronic percussion. Students are especially encouraged to pursue their own individual objectives and to engage in creative cross–cultural and cross–stylistic collaborations, skillfully bridging Western classical, new music, jazz and global perspectives on music.

The exhaustive instrument collection used in this program includes all standard percussion instruments for orchestra and jazz; various world music instruments; and many non–traditional, custom–built and found instruments. Students also design and construct their own specialized percussion instruments.

Faculty Interview! Check out BBC Interview with faculty member Amy Knoles.