Tag Archives: Music

Solo & Ensemble Breakdown

If you are in the market for solo and ensemble music for your percussionists, here is a handy breakdown of my pieces. It aims primarily at answering: “How many people?” “How much stuff?” “How hard is it?” Look it over and let me know if you have any questions. Best wishes for solo and ensemble!

2019 Recap

Great and Small, my solo keyboard work with optional audio accompaniment, was named an Editor’s Choice by Music Distributor J.W. Pepper. Several schools included my works on their programs for the Lassiter Percussion Symposium: Alpharetta High School performed Begin Transmission and Cambridge High School and Jackson High School both programmed Song Without Words. I hadContinue reading “2019 Recap”

‘Great and Small’ in Percussive Notes

Great and Small is a programmatic work comprised of two delightful movements for solo keyboard percussion with optional audio accompaniment. These vignettes depict the powerful beasts Leviathan and Behemoth when they were still young, whimsical, and childlike. Deemed ‘’medium-easy” by the publisher, it is appropriate for older middle school or younger high school students andContinue reading “‘Great and Small’ in Percussive Notes”

‘Guac Is Extra’ in Percussive Notes

“Guac is Extra” serves as a fun way to introduce students to the instruments and style of salsa music. John Herndon does a fantastic job of making the style accessible to younger players, as each uses two drums and an accessory instrument. The performance notes indicate the drums to be played with swizzle sticks; however,Continue reading “‘Guac Is Extra’ in Percussive Notes”

Audition Etudes

An important part of helping your students grow as musicians is knowing where they currently stand. Holding Class Placement Auditions can help you get a handle on exactly that. By evaluating student’s performance of the same etudes you should be able to group them into those displaying basic, intermediate, and advanced skills. These Audition Etudes focusContinue reading “Audition Etudes”

Rehearsal Schedule

Having a lot of staff members can be great! But, only if you communicate effectively… For every staff member you add you add a little Communication Overhead. Meaning that for every staff member you add you have to pay a little time in communication in order to receive quality work from them. If it isContinue reading “Rehearsal Schedule”

‘Jalopy’s Most Important Audience

Last year I released a piece entitled Jalopy that is dedicated to my grandfather, Cleo “Grandaddy” Herndon, who passed away in 2009. During a trip in June to South Georgia I had the chance to play a recording of it for the most important audience that will ever hear it: Cleo’s widow, my grandmother, RosalynContinue reading “‘Jalopy’s Most Important Audience”