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Most of the time I write about “sticky” thoughts: ideas that have remained front of mind across numerous disciplines. But, while I’m reading about maps, Chopin’s placement of dotted 8th/16th note figures, and wondering about how referees train to execute basketball jump balls, I’m trying to put into practice ideas about how to make the teaching of musical instruments more flexible, efficient, dynamic, and scalable. A lot of this work focuses on bringing the mission of Arizona State— “excellence, but make it gigantic and inclusive”—to a very unlikely place: the individualized teaching of percussion performance.

Since being in Tempe, I’ve been inspired by ASU’s sense of unhinged adventurism to learn how we learn (cognitive neurology, historical framing, motor learning, mental models) and re-conceptualize what actually happens, or could happen, in lessons, ensembles, and coachings. I had always assumed that my own curriculum, a bland assortment of bland whole grains and Wheetabix-inspired etudes, required ME, a diagnostician.

But, might others teach MY mental representations? Can AI help organized pedagogical materials? Can we craft a set of actionable principles around percussion playing that sits in between pure individualism and one-size-fits-all? Of course! But, can those principles be actionable remotely, at scale, cheaply? Um…

I’ve been experimenting with the above on our ASU percussionists, from worksheets to online courses to books to podcasts. But I thought I’d share some actual live events happening over the next few days during a big weekend for percussion at ASU.

Real People, Alive on Stage

I’m writing to let you know of a special event this Saturday, April 20th in the School of Music. We’ll be presenting Mauricio Kagel’s spectacular Dressur, with critical commentary from Dr. Sabine Feisst.​

Kagel’s music expresses a what he calls “exaggerated protest against the mechanical reproduction of music” and a move towards “an enjoyment of music with all senses.” (It’s also devastatingly funny—a sly criticism of the overt and sometimes opaque complexity and ritualistic spectacle of his peers at Darmstadt in the 1960s). In Match, the two cellists compete in a musical tennis match, with the percussionist acting as a referee. And in the circus-inspired Dressur, three percussionists present a fusillade of absurdist scenarios, all scored for wooden objects.

It’s a benchmark work in “instrumental theatre,” where the physical movements of the performers are as significant as their sonic gestures. Three ASU percussionists (Morgan Sutherland, Caleb Rupp, and Ethan Fox) have spent a tremendous amount of time working on this work, and after forays at ASU’s Kerr Center and Phoenix’s Oh My Ears Contemporary Music Festival, we’re excited to share this work inside the School of Music.

Our own MC will be imitable Dr. Sabine Feisst, who will be offering some Kagel-ian commentary and contextualization of this vital work.

I’m not sure what Kagel would think of live streaming, but you can decide for yourself, as this event (and the others I mention below) will be live-streamed for those who can’t make it in person:

BUT THERE’S MORE

Is 7:30pm Pacific too long to wait for percussion?

This year, we’ve been “innovating” by holding all of our percussion recitals on a single day each semester. That day is April 20th, so if 7:30 Pacific is too long to wait for percussion, leave that browser tab open or feel free to join us in person starting at 9:30am for an entire day of percussion recitals:

If that’s STILL not enough percussion for you you can join us Friday evening for our contemporary percussion ensemble, featuring expressive, poetic, quirky, and driving works for chamber percussion from composers Juri Seo, Jessie Montgomery, and more.

Hope to see you on the live stream or in person at ASU!

Contemporary Percussion Ensemble

• Friday, April 19, 8:00pm, Katzin Recital Hall (50 E Gammage Parkway, Tempe, AZ 85281)
• expressive, poetic, quirky, and driving works for chamber percussion from composers Juri Seo, Jessie Montgomery, and more

Percussion Recital Day

• Saturday, April 20, Katzin Recital Hall
• A day of solo percussion recitals showcasing undergraduate and graduate final performances
• 9:30am: Corbin West
• 12pm: Caleb Hupp
• 2:30pm: Evan Kirschbaum
• 5pm: Charlie Perlstein

Instrumental Theatre: Kagel and More

• Saturday, April 20
• 7:30pm, Katzin Recital Hall

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