Choosing Repertoire for the Percussion Methods Course

Abstract

This document serves as a guide to finding band literature that is relevant and pedagogically beneficial for beginning percussion students. It can be an essential tool for the collegiate percussion methods instructor. In the context of percussion methods classes, covering such a large amount of information in a relatively small timeframe is challenging, and having a supply of relevant repertoire for classroom exercises is essential to success. The first section of this document defines in detail the most important skills for beginning percussionists to master on snare drum, timpani, and keyboard percussion. The second section then supplies an organized catalog of band literature that contains the fundamental skills for these instruments, with in-context examples included. Pieces are organized by each fundamental skill, with each skill subsequently being listed in order of difficulty. The third section of the document then discusses strategies for incorporating this information and relevant activities into a one-semester collegiate percussion methods curriculum. Percussion methods courses are one of the primary pathways to reaching future educators. The versatile nature of this document enables it to be used by instructors with any level of experience. The end goal for this research is provide a comprehensive resource for music educators about teaching beginning percussionists that is approachable, and can therefore have an impact on the current state of beginning percussion education.