Every year, thousands of high school percussion students around the state of Texas audition for District, Region, Area and All State bands. Whether they attend large high schools and perform the TMEA (Texas Music Educators Association) or the ATSSB (Association of Texas Small School Bands) selection of etudes, we want to give them the resources necessary to model their practice time on snare, timpani and marimba off of high quality performances. We hope you enjoy these videos, whether you’re auditioning or simply wish to work on the etudes!
Featuring Dr. Brad Meyer, Stephen F. Austin University
Dr. Brad Meyer (www.Brad-Meyer.com) is a percussion educator, artist, and composer with an extensive and diverse background. Currently, Meyer is the Associate Professor of Percussion at Stephen F. Austin State University (Nacogdoches, TX) where he is the private lesson teacher and director of the percussion ensemble. Meyer frequently tours to universities and high schools both nationally and internationally to present recitals, workshops, masterclasses, and clinics on various topics, including: electro-acoustic percussion, contemporary marimba, concert snare drum, marching percussion, percussion ensemble, steel band, and world music. His international performances and clinics have taken him to Austria, Taiwan, France, South Africa, and Slovenia. Meyer has been an active presenter/performer at numerous festivals and conventions, including: Midwest Band & Orchestra Clinic, Texas Music Educators Association’s national convention, Percussive Arts Society’s International Convention, International Computer Music Conference, Society for Electroacoustic Music in the United States’ Convention, New York City Electroacoustic Music Festival, Graz’s (Austria) Night of Percussion, Chiayi’s (Taiwan) International Band Festival, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis’s Intermedia Festival, and Transylvania University’s Studio 300 Festival. Meyer is a composer with several compositions for snare drum, multi-percussion, and percussion ensemble published through Bachovich Publications, Tapspace Publications, and Ox & Lamb Publications. Meyer is a proud endorsee of Yamaha Instruments, Zildjian Cymbals, Vic Firth Sticks and Mallets, Evans Drumheads, and Tycoon Percussion.
Meyer serves as the Percussive Arts Society Texas Chapter’s Vice President (TXPAS Secretary from 2014-2016), Chair of the PAS Health & Wellness Committee (Committee Member from 2013-2016), and as a past member of the PAS Technology Committee. He was the Vice President of the Kentucky Chapter of PAS in 2011–2013. Meyer was the Visiting Instructor of Music in Percussion/Percussion Ensemble Director at Centre College (Danville, KY) in 2011–2012 and was the Adjunct Professor of Percussion at Tennessee Technological University (Cookeville, TN) during the fall of 2011. Meyer completed his Doctor of Musical Arts in Percussion Performance and Pedagogy of Music Theory Certificate in the Spring of 2011 under James Campbell at the University of Kentucky, where he also graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Performance in 2006. Along with his studies at UK, Brad was the Wildcat Marching Band’s percussion director, UK Steel Band/Blue Steel coordinator, and percussion studio lesson instructor. He received his Master of Music Performance Degree under the direction of Dr. Scott Herring at the University of South Carolina, where he ran the Palmetto Pans, arranged and coordinated the USC drumline, and debuted his first percussion ensemble composition, Your Three Favorite Colors.
In 2010, he was the pit manager for the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps, and before that he was the front ensemble caption head of the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps in 2009, where he was as a front ensemble technician for the two years prior. His extensive training in the core percussion instruments (snare drum, keyboard, timpani, drum set, multi-percussion) as well as world music, particularly on the Caribbean steel pan, Korean P’ungmul, mbira (Zimbabwe finger piano), Joropo maracas, and both Javanese and Balinese gamelan has provided a global perspective for his performances and research areas. From 2002-2005, Meyer was a part of The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps’ front ensemble, where he accumulated one world championship, three “high-drum” trophies, and three “outstanding service” awards. Dr. Meyer was born in 1983.
ATSSB MALLET SELECTION – YEAR D
Etude XXXV (Allegretto), Page 90 from Morris Goldenberg’s “Modern School for Xylophone, Marimba and Vibraphone”
JAM TRACKS courtesy of Robbie Green
MALLETS USED IN THIS PERFORMANCE:
ROBERT VAN SICE SIGNATURE MARIMBA MALLETS M114 – MEDIUM
ATSSB SNARE DRUM SELECTION – YEAR D
Etude #48, Page 60 from Anthony Cirone’s “Portraits in Rhythm”
JAM TRACKS courtesy of Alex Tomlinson
STICKS USED IN THIS PERFORMANCE:
TOM GAUGER SYMPHONIC SERIES STICKS
ATSSB TIMPANI SELECTION – YEAR D
JAM TRACKS courtesy of Robbie Green
MALLETS USED IN THIS PERFORMANCE:
TIM GENIS SIGNATURE GEN7
NOT SURE HOW TO MAXIMIZE YOUR PRACTICE TIME?
CLICK HERE TO GET SOME MORE PRACTICE TIPS FROM DR. BRAD MEYER!