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PercussionSmarts - provides private and group training for students ages 10 and up. Students will perform in the Children's Performing Arts Concert held at the Bankhead Theater in Livermore in the Spring of each year.



SmARTSunlimited Studio - offers a Roland E-Drum, a full drum set, a xylophone, and a variety of other percussion instruments for students to work with in an acoustically sound-reduced room. Our teaching style is highly child-centered for optimum results.



Students learn to integrate choreographed movement into their playing for performance purposes, such as marching band, color guard, and winter drum corp. Students are not required to have their own set of instruments, although a concert snare drum is always a good investment for any serious percussion student.




Required materials for Percussion Smarts (for lessons and group classes) will be drumsticks (size 7a or 2b depending on the age of the student), a practice pad (8" or 10"), and the appropriate lesson book. Beginning Percussion Smarts students will typically study from 'Accent On Achievement, Book 1' by John O'Reilly and Mark Williams. Intermediate students will study from 'Accent On Achievement, Book 2'. Advanced students will study from a wide variety of materials, which will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

All Percussion Smarts students will be trained in the following techniques and practices: Proper stick (or mallet) grip, correct stroke technique (both staccato and legato strokes), general rhythm and timing, playing in all dynamic ranges, development of the percussion rudiments (beginning through advanced), and sight-reading.



Click on image to watch to this performance

For more information regarding times and rates please visit our Program and Fees page. To register for PercussionSmarts or any of our other programs, please visit the Registration page.

Copyright © 2007-2008 Deborah McQueen. All Rights Reserved
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