CANTRELL, BEN, D.M.A. Drum Set as a Solo Artform: Developing the Percussionist Through Solo Performance. (2020) Directed by Dr. Eric Willie. 54 pp. I. Solo Recital: Friday, August 31, 2018, 7:30 p.m., Recital Hall. Imbue (Chad Floyd); Hop(2) (Paul Lanksy); Rhythmic Journey #1: Conakry to Harare (B. Michael Williams); Wicca (Casey Cangelosi); Rhythmic Journey #3: Post- Minimal (B. Michael Williams); Torreys Peak (Brian Mason); Jordu (Clifford Brown); Sandu (Clifford Brown). II. Solo Recital: Thursday, April 18, 2019, 5:30 p.m., Recital Hall. Spur (Ivan Trevino); Concerto for Marimba and Orchestra, Mvt II (Casey Cangelosi); Sunday Morning Mixes (Eric Willie); Zamba Para Escuchar Tu Silencio (Guillo Espel); Wagwan (Adam Hopper); Pezza da Concerto, No. 1 (Nebojša Jovan Živkovic); Available in Blue (Joe Locke); Guantanamera (Joseíto Fernàndez); Piano Merengue (Francisco Damiròn). III. Solo Recital: Saturday, March 28, 2020, 7:30 p.m., Recital Hall. Attraction (Emmanuel Sejourne); Generally Spoken It Is Nothing But Rhythm (Nebojša Jovan Živkovic); SKYY (Cesar Traldi); Composed Improvisation for One-Side Drums With or Without Jangles (John Cage); Eagle Rockabye (Chad Floyd); Through the Looking Glass (Ben Cantrell). IV. D.M.A. Research Project. DRUM SET AS A SOLO ARTFORM: DEVELOPING THE PERCUSSIONIST THROUGH SOLO PERFORMANCE. (2019) The aim of this project is to commission several newer compositions for solo drum set and then provide a detailed insight into the pieces through analysis and performance guides. As well, this document intends to aid high school, college, and professional percussionists with the means to more easily transition to drum set from traditional classical percussion. This project presents a brief overview of drum set history, discussions of the commissioned works, and provides a suggested listing of the current repertoire of solo drum set work. The pieces used for this study will include Wagwan (2018) by Adam Hopper, Eagle Rockabye (2019) by Dr. Chad Floyd, and Through the Looking Glass by Ben Cantrell (2020). All three of these compositions are new works for the drum set as a solo art form. DRUM SET AS A SOLO ARTFORM: DEVELOPING THE PERCUSSIONIST THROUGH SOLO PERFORMANCE by Ben Cantrell A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of The Graduate School at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Musical Arts Greensboro 2020 Approved by ______________________________ Committee Chair APPROVAL PAGE This dissertation written by Ben Cantrell has been approved by the following committee of the Faculty of The Graduate School at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Committee Chair ____________________________________ Committee Members ____________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________ Date of Acceptance by Committee __________________________ Date of Final Oral Examination ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank my Doctoral Advisory Committee Members Mr. Chad Eby and Dr. Tami Draves for donating their time and expertise to this project. I would like to extend a special thanks to Dr. Eric Willie for his guidance through this process, this degree, and these past few years. To Adam Hopper: Thank you for your compositions, contributions to the field of percussion, and for being a friend and colleague through our many musical adventures. To Chad Floyd: Thank you for the many varieties of solo and ensemble percussion literature. It’s a treat to bring your music to others, especially my own students. Also, thank you for helping to validate the drum set as a vital instrument in our field. To Daniel Glass: Thank you for being such a great inspiration and resource to so many for drum set history and the history of American music. To my family: Thank you for being there and for being a source of support and comfort through it all. To Shoshana: Thank you for your help and support through this degree and through everything else. I wouldn’t have made it through without you. I look forward to returning the favor. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES .................................................................................... vi CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................1 Purpose of Study ..........................................................................................1 Research Questions ......................................................................................2 Survey of Related Research .........................................................................2 Procedures ....................................................................................................3 II. DEVELOPMENT OF THE DRUM SET ..............................................................4 “Double Drumming” and the Origins of the Drum Set ...............................4 Ragtime, Immigration, and the Development of the Trap Kit .....................5 Jazz, Improvisation, and New Techniques ..................................................6 Big Band, Bebop, and the Modernization of the Drum Set .........................7 The 1950s and the Explosion of New Styles ...............................................9 Celebrity Drummers and Their Kits, 1960s–1980s .....................................9 The Drum Set Today ..................................................................................11 III. ANALYSIS AND PERFORMANCE GUIDE FOR "WAGWAN" ....................12 Setup ..........................................................................................................13 Form ...........................................................................................................14 Playing Guide and Analysis .......................................................................15 Conclusion .................................................................................................22 IV. ANALYSIS AND PERFORMANCE GUIDE FOR "EAGLE ROCKABYE" ...............................................................................24 Setup ..........................................................................................................25 Form ...........................................................................................................26 Playing Guide and Analysis .......................................................................26 Conclusion .................................................................................................38 V. ANALYSIS AND PERFORMANCE GUIDE FOR "THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS" ......................................................39 iv Setup ..........................................................................................................40 Form ...........................................................................................................41 Playing Guide and Analysis .......................................................................41 Conclusion .................................................................................................47 VI. CONCLUSION ....................................................................................................48 BIBLIOGRAPHY ..............................................................................................................50 APPENDIX A. LIST OF COMPOSED DRUM SET SOLOS ..........................................53 v LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES Page Example 1. Notation Key for “Wagwan” by Adam Hopper .............................................13 Example 2. Adam Hopper, “Wagwan,” mm 1–8 ...............................................................15 Example 3. “Wagwan,” mm. 9–12 ....................................................................................16 Example 4. “Wagwan,” m. 13 ...........................................................................................16 Example 5. “Wagwan,” m. 15 ...........................................................................................16 Example 6. “Wagwan,” m. 17 ...........................................................................................17 Example 7. “Wagwan,” m. 25 ...........................................................................................17 Example 8. “Wagwan,” m. 28 ...........................................................................................18 Example 9. “Wagwan,” m. 37 ...........................................................................................19 Example 10. “Wagwan,” mm. 46–50 ................................................................................20 Example 11. “Wagwan,” mm. 67–68 ................................................................................21 Example 12. “Wagwan,” m. 70 .........................................................................................21 Example 13. “Wagwan,” m. 75 .........................................................................................21 Example 14. “Wagwan,” m. 77 .........................................................................................22 Example 15. “Wagwan,” m. 81 .........................................................................................22 Example 16. Notation Key for “Eagle Rockabye” ............................................................25 Example 17. “Eagle Rockabye.” mm. 1–2 ........................................................................27 Example 18. “Eagle Rockabye,” mm. 4–5 ........................................................................27