by David Birrow Birrow.David@MacPhail.org

We set a world record the other day by getting 9 MacPhail percussion faculty in the same room at the same time. It was exciting to talk with other percussionists about teaching. Here are a couple notes which came up during the meeting and may be useful for other instruments as well. 

Only using part of method books:

This was a huge relief when Bob Adney shared that he only uses the reading exercises and 4-mallet material from Mitchell Peters mallet book. I feel like I have been given permission to tell my students the same.

 Use material from other instruments:

Steve Roehm uses Robert Getchell's "First Book of Practical Studies: Cornet and Trumpet" for reading studies with mallet players since they tend to lyrical. Which is a common complaint about mallet methods.