FAC Percussion I Syllabus

School Name: The Greenville Fine Arts Center
Course Name: Percussion I
Instructor: Gary A. Robinson, D.M.A.
Office Room Number: Winds/Brass/Percussion Studio
Phone number and extension: 241-3557
Email Address: grobinso@greenville.k12.sc.us
Class Time/Room Number: 9:15-10:10 m-f

Required Textbook(s):

The four method books required for Percussion I are texts that will be useful to my students for as long as they play or study drums. With the possible exception of the Whaley book, they can all be approached from a variety of levels. The Reed book can be used in so many ways as to make it literally inexhaustible. (Your students can always use the Whaley book when he/she has an opportunity to teach another student.) Takes individually and as a whole, the nominal, initial cost of owning these books represents a tremendous value.

• Teacher - generated anthology
• Progressive Steps to Syncopation (Ted Reed)
• Fundamental Studies for the Snare Drum (Garwood Whaley)
• The All American Drummer (Charlie Wilcoxen)
• The Drummer’s Cookbook (John Pickering)
• Other method books and music as needed for one’s individual area of interest or specialization

Course Description:

Percussion I is an introductory course in which students develop a strong foundational technique on snare drum and drum set, and an insightful, intellectually based ability to read musical notation. Time permitting, techniques for elementary-level tympani, mallets, and other common percussion instruments are covered.

Students enrolled in Percussion I are given small group and individual instruction as needed. Students also work with one another as teammates to master skills being studied. Each class period encompasses both instruction and team practice time.

All students are expected to practice at home.

Progress and development as a musician always includes individual practice time. There are no exceptions to this “rule” because the physicality and mental conditioning that comes with playing an instrument needs time and individual exploration to take place. Understanding that students have to balance many responsibilities and commitments, it is still vitally important that my students find some time to practice each day. An hour is a good benchmark to establish. (When I have the “liberty” of practicing as much as I need to, I personally find that three hours of practice a day insures that I will improve noticeably.)

Materials and equipment needed by students in Percussion I students:
• Access to a drum set
• a Remo or “Real Feel” practice pad and stand. The stand is mandatory, as all of our manual development is undertaken standing.
• a metronome (preferably a Matrix M600) and a set of earphones
• one pair of Cooperman Nick Petrella drum sticks. These are to be used on practice pad and snare drum ONLY. (Do NOT use these on the drum set!) The Coopermans are being carried specifically for Fine Arts Center students by Palmetto Music, located at 3 Wade Hampton Blvd., near the intersection of Stone Avenue. Palmetto Music owner Freddie Wooten has taken on a franchise with Cooperman especially so we will have local access to these sticks! It is important for each student to “audition” several pairs before purchase, as each has a slightly different gram weight and “feel.”
• one pair of light-weight drum set sticks, such as Vic Firth SD4 Combo, almost any 5a or 7a or the equivalent stick with a wooden bead.
• one pair of brushes
• entry-level pairs of timpani and marimba mallets (Percussion I students don’t need these during the first semester of the class. If interested, however, look at the products offered at The Percussion Source.)

Objectives: See Addendum I Course Requirements:

A. Attendance and Tardy Policy:

*REFER TO FINE ARTS CENTER HANDBOOK*

B. Classroom Rules and Expectations:

• Report on time to each class. Please let me know in advance if you must miss the class for any reason.
• each class, bring all appropriate sticks and mallets, your class anthology, other current class materials, and a pencil.
• if you are asked to work on your own or in a small group, use your time wisely and constructively.
• Drinking water is encouraged in all classes. Soda is not. Please refrain from eating food and chewing gum, because it will interfere with your playing. If you are hungry and need a snack, let me know about it.
• Strive always to do and to be your best

Assessment Information and Grading Scale, Percussion I:

Students receive grades based upon their mastery of performance skills on the various instruments. “Playing checks” (quizzes) are usually given once each week, and a term playing examination is given at the end of each nine weeks. Students receive test grades for participation in recitals, showcases, and other class-related performances.

Major Assignments and Projects required:

• Each week, students receive a quiz grade on some aspect of current class work. Evaluation can be formal (given during a class performance) or informal (given during a private coaching session).
• At the end of the first and third quarters, each student will be responsible to perform, for his/her peers, a program consisting of materials as representative of the preceding nine weeks. This “jury” will be counted as a term exam.
• At the end of the second and fourth quarters, each student will be responsible to perform, for his/her peers, a program consisting of materials as representative of the preceding semester. This “jury” will be counted as a semester exam.

Tentative Course Outline/Deadlines (Percussion I)

Terms I-III: Intensive study of intermediate snare drum technique, rudiments, and notation; introduction to four-way coordination and tone control in jazz, and basic Lain drumming. We will find a balance between developing skills as rapidly as possible and taking the necessary time to nurture the abilities of individual students. Materials will be drawn from the following texts and method books:

• Garwood Whaley’s Fundamental Studies for Drum (we will study and exhaust this entire book)
• Selected pages from Charlie Wilcoxen’s All-American Drummer – 150 Rudimental Solos
• Selected pages from Ted Reed’s Progressive Steps to Syncopation
• Selected pages from John Pickering’s Drummer’s Cookbook
• Teacher generated materials

Term IV: TBA: Areas of study will center on preparation for end-of-year Percussion recital and school showcases. Performance areas will definitely include snare drum (rudiments, exercises, rudimental solos) and drum set (time keeping, some soloing, and possibly performance with students from the Jazz Guitar classes), but may include percussion ensemble work as determined by the interest of participating students.

Plan for Routine Communication With Parents:

• In 2004-2005 I sent a weekly e-letter announcing assignments, special Fine Arts Center, and other information to students and their families. I will either continue this practice in 2005-2006 OR begin posting this information on a web page or blog. More information will follow shortly.
• Quarterly Fine Arts Center Newsletter is mailed to all parents of Fine Arts Center students.
• Parents are contacted promptly in the event of academic or disciplinary problems.
• A log of parent phone calls is maintained in teacher's office.

Addendum I:

Objectives for Percussion I

General Musicianship
• ability to read and to control the performance of written notation, especially rhythmic
• be able to apply understanding and control of rhythmic concepts and notation in all applicable performance areas
Snare drum
• ability to perform, at a beginning competition level, all 40 standard snare drum rudiments
• ability to read standard snare drum notation through and including intermediate level
• ability to perform intermediate level concert snare drum etude
• ability to perform intermediate level rudimental snare drum etude

Drum set
• ability to perform rock feel at moderate tempo demonstrating four-way independence
• ability to perform jazz feels at moderate tempo demonstrating four-way independence
• ability to perform basic samba and clave feels demonstrating four-way independence
• ability to perform a rudimentary drum solos in each style
• ability to perform simple accompaniment in a jazz ensemble

Tympani
• TIME PERMITTING: ability to read and prepare beginning level tympani parts (as encountered in high school band music) demonstrating knowledge of skill in basic tympani technique

Mallet instruments (xylophone, marimba)
• TIME PERMITTING: ability to read and prepare beginning level mallet parts (as encountered in high school band music) demonstrating knowledge of skill in basic mallet technique

Tambourine, crash cymbals, triangle, bass drum
• TIME PERMITTING:: ability to read and prepare beginning level parts (as encountered in high school band music) demonstrating knowledge of skill in basic performance techniques