Percussion with Zaria T.

I am currently a college student, at Winthrop University, who is majoring in Music Education. It is a K-12 certification, and I plan on focus more on high school teaching upon my graduation. I am in a new school each semester doing teaching for my education focused courses, so therefore I do have experience teaching in schools in the surrounding area. I also compose my own music, and I am currently composing my own warm-up book for both marimba and snare drum; transferable for both concert and marching season. Percussion students can expect to improve week to week in their technique. Every student has a unique way of hearing sound and rhythm; I teach students to get in touch with their inner self and tell a story through their music. In doing this, music can become a much more emotional thing for them during performances and will further increase their technique and understanding of how music started and why people created it so long ago. My goal is to help any student to play with freedom, confidence, and expression. I teach students of all different ages and experience levels. I’m studying to be a teacher that can instruct 4 year olds to 18 year olds on average. This includes not just the two well known instruments of percussion, snare and mallets, but other things such as accessory instruments like tambourine, triangle, temple blocks, etc., as well as different culture music like djembe songs and rhythms, shakaraes, etc. I can teach students to how read music and pursue rhythmic accuracy to be able to play in large ensembles with a band, or to just make them proficient enough to have private gigs where they can play and get paid for the excellent performance. Of course I would cater these interests to the students. My university WInd Symphony frequently goes on tour all around South Carolina to play for different schools and start early recruitment for students thinking of going to school for music. I have also attended an International convention called PASIC, Percussive Arts Society International Convention, that includes famous musicians and composers that you can play with them and walk right up to them to ask questions about anything you want to know. I highly recommend taking a trip for yourself, it will change your life. My personal passion is influential music and West African culture. But I believe that great technique is essential to any and every style. I look forward to meeting you and helping you to become a better musician!