PAS EDUCATION COMMITTEE PANEL DISCUSSION The Drumline Experience: Saturday, 9:00 a.m. How Much is Too Much?

BY PAUL BUYER

arching percussion has steadily east where no percussionists are enrolled • How much time should students/ become one of the most popular in the wind ensemble or symphonic band band programs be dedicating to marching Mpercussive arts in American cul- during the school day. Instead, they are percussion during the school year? ture. The performance level, creativity, enrolled in drumline class. For the past • How do we as educators incorporate and artistic achievement of marching two years, the band director has called marching percussion to provide our stu- percussion ensembles throughout the weekly 7:00 A.M. rehearsals for the entire dents with a balanced percussion educa- country continue to grow year after year band, leading up to concert festival and tion? and provide many young percussionists concerts, so the percussionists can learn • What are the greatest benefits of with an experience they crave. the music. According to a parent of a per- participating in an indoor drumline? What exactly is it about playing in a cussionist in the feeder middle school, What are the cons? drumline that attracts so much interest? “When my son reaches high school, I • Is transfer value taking place be- Certainly, some students thrive on com- want him to have a concert experience as tween marching and concert percussion, petition and the challenge of achieving well. When he graduates from high and are we fully using the learning po- perfection, while others are drawn to the school I want him to be able to say that tential of the drumline experience? technical demands of the music and the he is a percussionist—not just a guy who • What skills or values does indoor thrill of performing in front of thousands plays bass drum #3.” drumline provide that outdoor drumline of fans. Additional factors include the en- On Saturday, November 11 at 9:00 A.M., does not? joyment of playing the instru- • Should we be concerned that ments themselves, the visual and the drumline is the only musical aesthetic aspects of the activity, “The greatest benefits of the experience some students are re- and the opportunity to perform ceiving? drum features and cadences. It is marching percussion activity may While many percussion in- also very motivating and mean- structors offer a balanced pro- ingful to be part of something be the life skills students learn.” gram including marching bigger than yourself, collectively percussion, concert/orchestral achieve a common goal, and de- percussion, percussion ensemble, velop lifelong friendships. the PAS Education Committee will host a marimba ensemble, Latin percussion, The greatest benefits of the marching panel discussion entitled, “The Drumline jazz, and various world percussion en- percussion activity, however, may be the Experience: How Much is Too Much?” sembles, there are still young players life skills students learn as a member of This panel discussion will focus on the who only want to play in drumline and a marching percussion ensemble. In my role marching percussion has and/or have no interest in other percussion. The 2003 PN article, “Lessons Learned On should have in high school and college real question is when, and more impor- and Off the Field,” I state, “Marching percussion programs in the United tantly why did they decide that marching percussion [and marching band] activi- States. The panel will focus on our com- percussion was the only thing they ties can serve as a vehicle for teaching mitment to outdoor drumlines, pros and wanted to do? Ironically, most educators our students some of life’s most valuable cons of indoor drumlines, and developing would agree that the drumline is an inte- lessons.” These lessons include hard a well-rounded and balanced percussion gral part of training the well-rounded work, preparation, confidence, consis- curriculum. Issues such as recruiting, percussionist. tency, commitment, attitude, leadership, motivation, and competition will be dis- The distinguished panelists for “The teamwork, and focus, and can provide cussed as well as transfer value between Drumline Experience: How Much is Too lasting value that reaches beyond stu- marching and concert percussion. Much?” are Dennis DeLucia, DCI and dents’ drumline experience, impacting Without question, this topic should WGI Hall of Famer and former Associate the rest of their lives. provoke a healthy discussion at PASIC. Professor at Rutgers University; Ward During this period of incredible growth The purpose of this panel will be educa- Durrett, WGI Hall of Famer and and popularity, percussion educators tional, providing a forum for discussion. drumline instructor at the University of have started to question whether today’s The distinguished panelists will respond Northern Colorado; Julie Davila, PAS high school and college percussionists are to questions followed by a Q&A session Marching Committee Chair, WGI Adjudi- spending too much time playing march- with the audience. cator, and member of Caixa Trio; Brian ing percussion. I was recently made Some of the potential questions being Hanner, Assistant Band Director and Di- aware of a high school band in the South- considered are: rector of Percussion at La Porte (TX)

PERCUSSIVE NOTES 42 OCTOBER 2006 High School; and Robert Carnochan, Associate Director of Bands and Director of the Longhorn Band at the University of Texas at Austin. These drumsticks are made with the highest quality, hand-crafted persimmon wood available on the market today. Before the wood is cut, it is weighed and aged. Each stick is hand varnished Paul Buyer is Director of Percussion and to ensure quality. The pairs are then matched by sound to provide the best drumstick money Associate Professor of Music at Clemson can buy. Any parade stick broken by use, not neglect, will be replaced FREE of CHARGE. University. He received his Doctor of Mu- Parade: Walking Cane, designed specifically for back-beating. sical Arts and Master of Music degrees The knob butt is 8.35, shaft 7.07, bead is 6.3. Overall length = 17” from The University of Arizona and his Parade: A.F. Model, designed with an elongated bead which measures Bachelor of Science degree from Ball one inch in length. Shaft is 7.07, bead is 5.6. Overall length = 17.25” State University. Dr. Buyer is a contrib- Parade: Rudimental, a drumstick for the “nobility of ancients.” Shaft uting author to the second edition of is 6.7, bead is 7.25 “round with a collar.” Overall length = 17” Teaching Percussion by Gary Cook and his articles have appeared in the Ameri- Concert Stick: ideally suited for concert work and general practice. Recommended and used by Fred Begun, timpanist, National Symphony. can Music Teacher, Teaching Music, and Shaft is 5.75, bead is 4.65. Overall length = 16” Percussive Notes. Buyer was a member of the Star of Indiana Drum and Bugle Drum Set Stick: Used and recommended by professionals including the immortal Max Roach and Jim Chapin. Shaft is 5.56, bead is 3.9. Corps and a staff member with the Dutch Overall length = 15.75” Boy Drum and Bugle Corps. He currently Also available: John Crocken’s Drum Chart A Concise 32 page text on the best ways to directs and arranges for the Clemson notate and read music for the drum set. Included are the three basic “fills” and the 10 most drumline. Buyer is a member of the PAS important Latin rhythms, effective page turns, brushes, and the notation of rolls. The Jazz-Latin Marching Percussion and College Peda- rhythm alone is worth the price of the book. gogy Committees and is chair of the Edu- cation Committee. PN

PERCUSSIVE NOTES 43 OCTOBER 2006