Clinics Offered

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Negative Space, Positive Effects

Asian marimba music plays an important role in the history of marimba repertoire, especially the marimba music of Japanese composers. This music often reflects the Asian concept of "ma," or "space," in which the gaps and pauses around the subject in music and art are as important as the subject itself. Through my experiences growing up in a Chinese culture and studying with Prof. Keiko Abe in 2019, I have designed a clinic that uses Chinese and Japanese paintings to discuss interpretation and the development of character in Asian marimba music.

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How to Make Practice More Efficient (Practice SOP)

A ground-up approach to practice focusing on saving time by being more efficient in the practice room. I discuss how to make a practice plan, motivation versus discipline when practicing, what to cover in each practice session, and how to combine repertoire with warm ups to maximize practice sessions.

 

Keyboard Percussion Technique

A breakdown of 4 mallet technique, covering Stevens Grip and Burton Grip, and how to build up the technical skills to play any piece. I demonstrate my 13 exercise routine, a comprehensive and flexible routine that will build and maintain technique while warming up and stretching the hands. 

 

Music Interpretation

Performing more than the written phrasing takes awareness and guidance at first. In this clinic I focus on how to create a personal interpretation of the music, using practical musical examples to create a discussion on what interpretations are available and giving students an idea of what is possible when they make the music their own.

 

Chinese Percussion Instruments 101

This clinic offers a unique insight into basic Chinese percussion instruments and their uses in the past and today. Styles and performance practices are discussed with a special focus on rhythm patterns compared to western music.

 

Music Entrepreneurship

Musicians are inevitably entrepreneurs, whether as an educator, performer, composer, or any other job in the music industry. In this clinic, I discuss my personal experiences as an independent musician, including entrepreneurial tips and tricks that I have learned over the years. Topics include how to get gigs, performance management, how to form a program, managing a social media presence, and hosting concerts, competitions, and other music events.

 

Creative percussion

Geared towards younger students and nonmusicians, this clinic uses objects as instruments to composer percussion music live, utilizing the practice of drum circles and building composite rhythms in a way that everyone can get involved. 

 

Composition /Arrangement /Transcription

This clinic can be geared towards composition majors or percussion majors alike. Compositional techniques are discussed in regard to the specifics of percussion instruments, creative sounds that can created from various percussion instruments, and techniques for transcriptions and arrangements involving percussion. I also reference my dissertation: THE POSSIBILITIES OF THE MARIMBA: The ability of the marimba to play transcriptions with Bela Bartok's String Quartet no. 5 for Marimba Quartet as an example.

 

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Thank you to the following for allowing me to give clinics and masterclasses!

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Zhongxiao Elementary School Percussion Ensemble (Taiwan)

GIP Percussin Ensemble (Hong Kong)

Downriver Day of Percussion

Indiana Percussive Association Clinic Day

Macau Modern Musician Society (Macau)

University of Central Missouri

Yun Percussion Academic (Taiwan)

University of Central Florida

University of South Florida

Stetson University

SooChow University (Taiwan)

Michigan State University

Ball State University

Ohio University

University of North Alabama

Northwest High School

R.W. Kinder Middle School

Dansville Middle School

Birmingham High School