Featured Composition: The Cymbal Guy

Larry Spivak's "The Cymbal Guy" is a brief rapperetta for 11 actor/musicians (8 play crash cymbals), which features The Cymbal Guy accessory (the hi-hat-mounted cymbal crasher). This fun piece of musical drama shows off The Cymbal Guy and helps teach crash cymbal technique and good ensemble playing. Great for any high school or college percussion ensemble concert. For more info on "The Cymbal Guy" and rental parts, click HERE. To buy The Cymbal Guy attachment from Beall Percussion Specialties, click HERE.

Featured Book: Snare Drum Technique: Essential Exercises for Daily Practice

Pablo Rieppi's Snare Drum Technique: Essential Exercises for Daily Practice is a necessity for every drummer, providing all the important warm-ups one could ever need. Playing through the entire book constitutes the perfect daily warm-up. Exercises cover rolls, embellishments, all the essential rudiments, and polyrhythms. A must-have for all percussionists!

"It's a really terrific collection of exercises to warm up and challenge your technique!" - Greg Zuber, The Metropolitan Opera

Read more testimonials and buy the book HERE.

Featured Media: (CD) My Favorite Things (Mayumi Sekizawa, marimba)

My Favorite Things (CD) is Japanese marimba soloist Mayumi Sekizawa's first release (2005). Sekizawa is an international soloist, and her CD features important marimba repertoire, Sekizawa's own riveting arrangements, and one of her original compositions. This CD is great for percussionists and is a perfect gift for any music-lover.

"The arrangements by Sekizawa are brilliantly performed...the original composition that ends the CD is a reflective choral and a classy touch to the end of a great recording." - Julia Gaines, University of Missouri, review in PAS News

For audio samples, click HERE.

To go to Sekizawa's Official website, click HERE.

Composer of the Month: Joseph Pereira

Joseph Pereira is the new Principal Timpanist of the LA Philharmonic (and had been Assistant Timpanist and Percussionist with the New York Philharmonic since 1998), but is also becoming a force in the world of composition. His works have been played around the world, including performances at Darmstadt and in Alice Tully Hall. Pereira's harmonic language is "Bracing and astringent" (Anthony Tommasini, New York Times), the perfect challenge for any advanced percussion student or professional. Try his multi-percussion solo Word of Mouth for 8 drums (4 dry, 4 resonant). Pereria's quartet Facing the Mirror and solo In Other Words feature percussion and tape. Or try his works for mixed instrumentation: Three Movements for Violin and Vibraphone and Bento Box (for alto flute, guitar, and vibraphone). Click the titles for audio samples.