BACK FROM INDY

My trip to Indianapolis was great! The Music For All - Sandy Feldstein National Percussion Festival was terrific. We heard several great groups and met many wonderful directors and students. In particular, two middle school percussion ensembles from Cobb County, Georgia, were amazing - Dickerson Middle School and Simpson Middle School. WOW! These groups play at an amazingly high level. Kudos to their directors, Scott Brown and Mike Lynch.

The other adjudicators were John Parks, Don Liuzzi, and Robert van Sice. We had a great time hanging, and enjoyed hearing and telling stories with the renowned conductor Colonel Arnald Gabriel. It was also great to see my good friends at Yamaha, John Wittmann and Chris Dolson.

I was also able to spend considerable time at the new Rhythm! Discovery Center, the new museum run by the Percussive Arts Society. Holy cow, is it terrific! It's in a terrific location right downtown Indianapolis, and it looks and feels wonderful. There are several hands-on and interactive exhibits, quiet rooms to play in, and several excellent uses of technology throughout. It's a must-see the next time you're in Indy.

I Know It's Been Awhile...

It's been 10 months since I posted to this blog. With my duties as Dean I haven't been able to keep up with as much in percussion as previously. To see my blog about the NIU College of Visual and Performing Arts which I am posting to regularly, go here:

http://niucvpa.blogspot.com/

This winter I've been active presenting clinics and workshops. On January 27 I presented several sessions at the University of Central Missouri, where I was hosted by the gracious Mike Sekelsky. On January 27 I presented a session at the Missouri Music Educators Association convention, which was based on my book, "Majoring in Music: All the Stuff You Need to Know."

On February 13 I was an adjudicator of percussion ensembles at the Lincoln-Way Day of Percussion in New Lenox, Illinois. Eric Wellman did a great job organizing the day. I also presented a session demonstrating my concepts and techniques of how to practice.

This week I'll be in Indianapolis for the Music For All National Festival, once again adjudicating at the National Percussion Ensemble Festival. This festival is now actually named the Sandy Feldstein National Percussion Festival. Sandy was a one-of-a-kind musician, composer, editor, educator, author, businessman and leader who left us too soon, and it's great to see his name live on this way. Adjudicating with me will be John Parks, Robert van Sice, and Don Liuzzi. This is the third time I'll be at this festival, it's always a great time and we hear several excellent ensembles.

While in Indy I'll also be at the new Rhythm! Discover Center - the new museum of the Percussive Arts Society. I had every intention of seeing Rhythm! when it opened during PASIC 2009, but as some of you know I became ill and could not attend PASIC. I'm really looking forward to seeing it - the photos look amazing and everyone I know who has seen it has come away extremely impressed.