Philosophy

The percussion studio at Southwestern is a close-knit group.  We share the philosophy of “Ubuntu,” an African philosophy referring to the interconnectedness of all humans.  In its simplest form – “I am me because of we.” If you enjoy connecting with others through music, you will find no better place to study than Southwestern.

 

Tailor Your Studies

The percussion program at Southwestern offers a very unique and diverse curriculum.  Students study traditional western percussion (snare drum, keyboard percussion, timpani, multiple percussion), commercial percussion (drumset, hand drumming, and keyboard percussion), and global percussion (African, Latin, Indian, and Polynesian).   While most percussion specializations are reserved for graduate-level studies, Southwestern offers specialization at the undergraduate level.  This allows students to tailor their percussion studies to be competitive in today’s music environment based on career aspirations.  In consultation with Professor Kirk, students choose a primary area of focus (Traditional/Western, Commercial, or Global) while the remaining two are cognate areas. 

 

Abundant Performance Opportunities

Percussionists have opportunities to perform in ensembles including:

• Concert Band

• Orchestra

• Pep Band

• Drumline

• Jazz Band

• Jazz Combo

• Southwestern College Percussion Group (SCPG)

• Percussion Pops

• World Percussion Ensemble