Applied Music | Percussion
"BeyonD the bEnd" by Gene Koshinski - Quey Percussion duo w/ the UD Graduate Percussion Group: https://capture.udel.edu/media/1_za6chrdq/
UD Percussion
The percussion area at the University of Delaware is typically comprised of 25 undergraduate and graduate percussion students majoring in Music Performance, Music Education, Composition, Jazz and Improvisation, Music Theory or Music History, and Bachelor of Arts in Music. The percussion program is centered on a "total percussionist" philosophy where students will gain experience on all major percussion instruments, experience diverse repertoire and operate in a variety of creative environments all on a regular basis. As an exception, the Jazz Improvisation degree, led by Tom Palmer, focuses on a more specific set of skills and is often heavily focused on drum set performance.
Percussion faculty members Gene Koshinski and Tim Broscious work in tandem to deliver the percussion program - teaching, coaching, and performing alongside UD students on a daily basis. In addition, professors Koshinski/Broscious bring to UD their internationally acclaimed chamber group, Quey Percussion Duo, as a faculty ensemble in residence year-round. Their nearly 20-year career has not only led to worldwide performing and entrepreneurial experience, but has made QPD one of today's most in-demand percussion groups in the world. QPD's unmistakable style, extensive performing career and side-by-side student experiences offer UD percussionists a truly unique educational opportunity.
Instruction and Ensembles
All percussion majors receive one hour per week of one-on-one instruction with Professor Koshinski or Professor Broscious, and students may craft their education by switching teachers each semester/year depending on instrument(s) and career focus. Students may also decide to supplement their lessons with a focus on drum set with Tom Palmer. In addition, a studio class comprised of all percussionists meets weekly and functions as an outlet for master classes, clinics, workshops and guest artist presentations. Furthermore, the various percussion ensemble offerings are an integral part to the education of UD percussion students as well as non-major percussionists.
The award-winning Graduate Percussion Group is a fully funded fellowship program. Each member is awarded a fellowship for their studies at UD by co-directing and performing in this ensemble. Coached and mentored by the faculty ensemble in residence (Quey Percussion Duo), the Graduate Percussion Group is actively engaged in artistic creativity on a daily basis through rehearsing, performing and administration of a self-sustaining ensemble that straddles the line between collegiate and professional performing experiences.
The Graduate Percussion Group presents regular programs throughout the year in addition to numerous projects related to audio recording, video production, outreach, recruiting, competitions and composer-performer experiences. Graduate Percussion Group members also often perform side-by-side with guest and faculty artists. In addition to performances, as a self-sustaining ensemble, each student will assume administrative roles to guarantee the success of the ensemble such as scheduling, programming, recruiting, outreach, marketing and promotion, and social media management to name a few.
Directed by Professor Koshinski, the UD Percussion Ensemble is comprised of undergraduate and graduate students and focuses on the performance of aesthetically diverse repertoire ranging from historically significant works to compositions “fresh off the printer" (including those by UD students, faculty and guest artists). The ensemble presents a full program each semester along with other presentations throughout the year at special events and with guest artists.
The UD Practical Studies in World Percussion Ensemble/Course is open to all UD students and focuses on introducing students to instruments and music from around the world that have a heavy emphasis on percussion. Students will receive hands-on training, allowing them to create and develop a basic technical facility on each instrument and musical style studied in the course. They will then apply these techniques to help understand traditional music of various cultures including West Africa, Brazil, the Middle East, Latin America, and the Caribbean (topics rotate each semester).
Taught through oral tradition, students are required to use their memory to recall songs, rhythms, and other information presented in the course. In addition to hands-on experiences and a performance on the “World Ensembles" concert each semester, students will gain insight into the cultures and ethnic groups studied through faculty/guest lectures and student presentations.
Composed of undergraduate and graduate students, the UD Steelbands are designed to explore the steelband repertoire from Trinidad and Tobago, as well as classical, jazz and pop genres arranged for steelband. The group performs concerts on campus as well as in the community. There are two steelbands: one beginning band (for those new to the instrument) and Delaware Steel, a performance-centric group. The UD Steelbands are open to all UD students.
Each spring, the percussion studio presents a “Duos" concert where every studio member chooses a performance partner, selects repertoire, rehearses throughout the semester, and receives coaching from the faculty ensemble in residence (Quey Percussion Duo). In addition to the musical preparation, the students work together to create the concert from the ground up (and all of the involved logistics), offering critical experiences presenting musical events alongside a direct focus on enhancing chamber music skills.
UDIPS is an immersive weekend of percussion focused on presenter/participant interaction through hands-on sessions, engaging performances and Q&A hangouts specifically built into the schedule.
The UDIPS High School Honors Percussion Ensemble is a select group of the area's finest high school percussionists. Rehearsals, led by UD percussion faculty, will take place during the festival weekend,
UDIPS is FREE to participants of any age or experience level!
We are passionate about supplementing our percussion offerings with world renowned guest artists that interact with our studio. Since Fall 2020, we have hosted:
- Evelyn Glennie
- Sandbox Percussion
- Nick Petrella
- Mike Windish
- Jon Singer
- Michael Burritt
- Allison Miller
- Casey Cangelosi
- Angie Zator Nelson
- Josanne Francis
- Michael Dobson
- Tracy Wiggins
- Iain Moyer
- Josh Graham
- Karlyn Viña
- Mike Compitello
- Adam Nussbaum
- Mike Sammons
- Eric Pérez
- Joe Tompkins
- Ari Hoenig
- Ben Toth
- Escape Ten
- Valerie Naranjo
- Chris Deviney
- The United States Old Guard
- Al Otte
- John Lane
The percussion program is centered on a "total percussionist" philosophy where students will gain experience on all major percussion instruments, experience diverse repertoire and operate in a variety of creative environments all on a regular basis.
The percussion faculty at UD are committed to the development and growth of every student involved in the percussion program, regardless of major, and will work to achieve each individual student's potential within their performance medium.
We Are a Community
We believe in a community environment where each and every student plays an important role in the fabric of the studio. We all work together, supporting each other's performances and events by attending all percussion-related events on campus (and off campus whenever possible).
Performed by the UD Graduate Percussion Group
"BeyonD the bEnd" (2021) by Gene Koshinski: youtube.com/watch?v=QSvKHoA3bWA
"Sandbox" (2020) by Viet Cuong - University of Delaware Graduate Percussion Group: youtube.com/watch?v=2XnSUUAfz1o
Everything I Thought I Wanted by Robert Maggio: youtube.com/watch?v=5SxBLjjJqK8
Elegy: Snow in June (1991) by Tan Dun - Performed by the UD Graduate Percussion Group: youtube.com/watch?v=gUZZycmWEDQ
"Extremes" by University of Delaware Graduate Percussion Group: youtube.com/watch?v=YtcRoeUC74o
Listen (mp3)
Playing With Fire from Coyote Builds North America by John Luther Adams
Pillar IV by Andy Akiho
Performed by the UD Percussion Ensemble
I. Bright and Dark from "Stress and Flow" by Alejandro Viñao (U. of Delaware): youtube.com/watch?v=zYzhUhUuK_I
"Escape Velocity" by Dave Hall - University of Delaware Percussion Ensemble: youtube.com/watch?v=3P2LsZZTQIA
