The Percussionist's Dictionary: Book

Like having a trusted expert seated next to you, ready with instant answers about instruments from every corner of the globe. The combination of photographs, descriptions, and multilingual terms creates a resource that feels personal and genuinely helpful rather than clinical or overwhelming.

Percussion teachers, band and orchestra directors programming diverse repertoire, and any musician who regularly encounters unfamiliar percussion instruments in scores. It's equally useful for classrooms exploring music from different cultures and ensembles preparing contemporary concert music.

• Use this as a reference before rehearsing any piece featuring non-standard percussion instruments; knowing what the instrument actually sounds like informs how students should approach the part.
• Keep a copy in the percussion section during score study so players can independently verify pronunciation and technique markers they encounter.
• Flip through the photographs with your ensemble before programming world music or contemporary works to build cultural context and generate genuine curiosity about the sounds they're about to create.

Keep this on your shelf whenever you're considering pieces with extended percussion requirements or world music arrangements. It becomes essential when adjudicating festival selections or planning thematic concerts that feature instruments beyond the standard battery.

• Recognizing percussion instruments from diverse musical traditions
• Interpreting performance markings in multiple languages
• Understanding cultural and historical context for instrument selection in scores
• Developing systematic research habits for unfamiliar musical terminology