How I Spent My Summer Vacation

I teach a percussion class at a boy's camp every summer. I had twenty-six boys in two classes this year. I only get four one-hour sessions to teach them a complete piece for performance on the last day of camp (the tallent show night). This year I combined buckets and body percussion and it was the hit of the whole camp.

New Pic

Here's a picture I found on my guitar player's myspace. This is me charting out one of our songs. Much of the stuff we play goes through so many time changes and stylistic changes, that I find I have to chart it out just to keep track. Frank says that's anathema to him, but for me it's all about the counting. When I play, the counting never stops. 1-2, 1-2, 1-2-3, 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 5 and, one two three, one two three, one two three... This stuff runs through my head all the time. Granted, if there's a strong melodic line or lyric phrasing, that will effect the accenting of my counting. None the less, when I'm playing, Im counting something.

Getting Going

Well here we go. The school year is about to begin and I've been working on lesson plans. I have to write lesson plans for two levels of general art, one drawing class, and two levels of percussion ensemble. Boy howdy, this is my first year as a full time teacher and this is a bit daunting. I'm excited to get started but I'm also nervous. Special thanks to my seasoned teacher friends who've been helping me out. I've definitely got big plans but I'm sure I'm in for some serious challenges. I really can't wait to get started.

So my posts of drawings have definitely been a part of this. I think I'm just getting into the mindset of being both an art and a music teacher. There are definite corollaries and I'm interested to see how I will cross over on the two subjects.

One of my seasoned teacher friends has offered to give me a set of Orff percussion instruments for my percussion classes. How cool is that? I'm almost as excited about the teaching as I am about the opportunity to have an ensemble to compose for, even if they are beginners.

Cowboy Gun Thing

Triptych. Ink sketch. Ball point pen on clean room paper.

Buddha Guy Girl Hat Planes

Triptych. Ink sketch. Ball point pen on clean room paper.

Pie Hole VI

Triptych. Ink sketch. Ball point pen on clean room paper.