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The CU Boulder College of Music’s percussion studio is taking bold steps forward with a revamped curriculum and a renewed focus on versatility, collaboration and joy in music making.

Associate Teaching Professor of Percussion Michael Tetreault says nearly every aspect of the program has been reimagined with one goal in mind: To prepare percussionists to thrive in any musical setting.

“An awful lot is new and an awful lot has changed,” shares Tetreault. “Every student at every level–undergraduate, master’s, doctoral, artist diploma–studies all five major percussion areas including marimba, timpani, snare drum, drum set and world percussion.”

Tetreault notes the studio’s mission to ensure that every student graduates with a strong foundation across percussion instruments, ready to pursue specialized interests or advanced degrees. “An undergraduate should be able to get into any graduate program they want,” he says. “Our goal is that students’ education here is more than sufficient to unlock any door.”��

Building depth for the next generation
Reflecting the college’s��universal musician approach to achieving our overall mission, Tetreault says the percussion program aims to shape adaptable, versatile, collaborative and thoughtful musicians who are equipped to make an impact in a changing musical landscape—and across a wide range of careers, on and off stage.

“Let’s support musicians to excel in all kinds of roles,” Tetreault says. “Future students might pursue hyper-specialized career paths, or opportunities as educators or generalists. But over time, I’ve found that the stronger your fundamentals and the better your communication skills, the more doors will open.

“Our students aren’t just preparing to perform—they’re learning to create, to connect and to forge their own paths in music.”

He adds, “If piano was the instrument of the 19th century, percussion was the instrument of the 20th. The next step is depth—supporting underrepresented composers, finding excellent new works and creating music that reflects a 21st-century aesthetic.”

A community of access, opportunity + collaboration
Students in the College of Music’s percussion program often remark on their growth, and how connected they feel to both faculty and the professional world around them.

“They’re surprised how much better they get, so quickly,” Tetreault says. “Often, they haven’t realized how connected the five core areas are—and how work on one instrument strengthens all the others.”

Students’ growth is fueled by the program’s accessibility. Tetreault and his colleague, Associate Professor Carl Dixon, both live and work in Boulder full time. “Such ready access to faculty, instruments, performances and professional opportunities is something students don’t necessarily expect,” he says.��

From their first semester, students perform in orchestras, wind symphonies, a classical percussion ensemble and CU Boulder’s samba bateria—a Brazilian-style group that learns entirely by ear. They also take part in recording projects, community gigs and teaching opportunities across the region.

“Every year, we also commission a new piece from a CU Boulder student composer,” says Tetreault. “We have competition seminars, collaborations with faculty from other departments and visits from some of the best percussionists in the country.”

Photo credit: Kathryn Bistodeau

Guest artists this year include Los Angeles Philharmonic Principal Percussionist Matt Howard; the drummer for NBC’s “The Voice,” Nate Morton and many others; and, just last month, the CU Boulder Percussion Ensemble presented a concert of Brazilian music featuring guest artist Jorge Alabê, a renowned master of the genre. The program included styles such as choro (instrumental music), Candomblé drumming and song (a sacred Afro-Brazilian tradition), samba de roda (call-and-response singing with improvised drumming), pagode (backyard party music) and samba enredo (drumming and song performed by samba schools in Carnaval parades), illustrating the history, evolution and musical connections of these African diasporic art forms. Later that week, six current students and several CU Boulder alumni traveled to the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) where they presented much of the same repertoire during Dixon’s Featured Showcase performance with mestre Alabê. “The concert was electrifying!” shares Tetreault.

“We’re also doing a collaborative recording project with CU Boulder Thompson Jazz Studies next semester,” adds Tetreault. “These kinds of collaborations and projects are going to define the percussion program moving forward.”

Camaraderie, excellence + passion
To capture the studio’s culture, Tetreault asked students to describe their goals in a word cloud—a visual that enlarges each word the more often it’s shared. The most prominent themes were “camaraderie,” “excellence” and “passion.”

“We should work hard, believe in what we're doing and have fun together,” he says. “Excellence grows naturally when you’re fully engaged and enjoying the work and each other.”

That energy carries into studio life—from shared dinners before concerts to playful events like a percussion “maintenance Olympics” at the start of the year. Students split into teams of three to assemble cymbal stands while Tetreault provided running color commentary—and, of course, there were prizes for the fastest team.

“We foster a work-hard, play-hard atmosphere,” Tetreault says. “When we’re working, it’s demanding and productive, but there’s also plenty of laughter and camaraderie along the way.”

The heart of it all: Love for music
In considering prospective students, Tetreault says the program values personality as much as performance. “The number one thing we’re looking for—along with a standard of excellence in playing—is personality,” he says. “People who are collaborative, who help others and who love music.”

He emphasizes that the studio environment is best suited for curious, motivated percussionists who embrace all areas of the craft. “We give a lot of time, a lot of energy, a lot of resources and a lot of inspiration—we hope—to everybody,” he says. “We also recognize that to be successful, students need to generate a lot of that energy and enthusiasm themselves.”��

Tetreault concludes, “Percussion doesn’t need to apologize for itself anymore. It’s a serious art form and we’re committed to making it deeper, more accessible and more representative of today’s musical world.”

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