An Analysis of Beginning Percussion Education Through Wind Band Repertoire and Method Books

The challenges of studying percussion at an early age are numerous, as students must navigate a multitude of techniques on different instruments. Given these challenges, coupled with potentially substandard percussion training for band directors and issues of exposure in the classroom, it is common for the student percussionist to acquire considerable weaknesses, even at a young age. However, with the correct guidance through educational materials, all beginning percussionists have the opportunity to develop into well-rounded musicians. This study aimed to define what instruments and technical concepts have been overlooked in the pedagogy of beginning percussionists. Included in this document are two sets of analyses. The first surveyed recent trends in instrumentation and techniques in grade one band literature. The subsequent analysis judged whether the available beginning method books adequately addressed basic competencies required by the analyzed repertoire. By the end of this survey it was strongly suggested that there existed a disconnect between the method books and the repertoire. In addition to identifying which concepts were underrepresented, pedagogical strategies to adequately prepare today’s student for success in beginning wind band were offered to the band director