Team Percussion: Book

A playbook that celebrates percussion's social dimension. Students experience the reward of locking in together, hearing how their individual parts weave into something fuller and more musical than they could create alone.

Beginning percussionists who are ready to move beyond solo playing and discover what ensemble percussion sounds like. Whether you're teaching individuals in a private studio, leading a small group class, or building out a larger percussion section, this book adapts to your teaching context from the earliest stages.

• Start with unison rhythms before moving to independent parts; this builds listening skills and ensemble cohesion before introducing real complexity.
• Rotate which students play the more prominent lines across different pieces so everyone develops confidence as a melodic voice.
• Use the variety of styles to establish stylistic conventions; students playing Latin grooves will need different dynamic and articulation approaches than those handling a march.

Core material for a beginning percussion curriculum that emphasizes collaborative playing. Use it as your primary text when building a student percussion ensemble or as supplementary repertoire in a mixed instrumentation group where you want beginners to feel immediately included in ensemble work.

• Reading notation across pitched and unpitched percussion instruments
• Listening and responding to other players in real time
• Maintaining independent parts while matching tempo and style with ensemble partners
• Recognizing and performing multiple musical styles
• Building rhythmic accuracy through ensemble accountability