Session Proposals

Dr. James (Jamie) Vilseck is an educator, performer, and composer originally from Dayton, OH. His diverse pedagogical approaches aim to connect with students at all levels. He has toured across the country as a solo performer and as a clinician at various universities, music educator conferences, the National Conference on Percussion Pedagogy, and the Percussive Arts Society International Convention, and was a member of the Colts and Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps, Matrix Performing Arts. He is a founding member of Blue Door Percussion Trio, dedicated to featuring new and classic works to audience across the country. As a composer, he has composed and arranged works for percussion ensemble, steel band, solo percussion, and is active as a designer and arranger for the marching arts, with clients in Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Texas. He is currently the Assistant Professor of Percussion at Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant, OK, where he oversees all aspects of the percussion program. James held previous teaching appointments at Stephen F. Austin State University (TX), Angelina Colleg (TX), and Morehead State University (KY). James received degrees from Morehead State University (B.M.E.), Southern Illinois University Carbondale (M.M.), and the University of Kentucky (D.M.A.). In his free time, he loves to travel, spend time with his wife and son, and play video games while eating great food and experimenting with new recipes.

Rudiments are a fundamental element of percussion music. Students often learn rudiments head on, with variable success. This is often because they have not yet developed the proper basic skills that lead to successful performance. How do you develop the necessary stick control to play snare drum music or break down a rudiment into smaller parts? This clinic addresses those questions with simple, teachable skills and analogies. Alongside a slideshow visual, attendees will receive a handout with brief explanations of concepts from the clinic and warm up exercises they can use for their programs This clinic will appeal to educators who are looking to improve their instruction of non-pitched percussion at all levels, including middle school and high school, and in a variety of settings, including concert band, marching band, orchestra, and drum set performance. After the session, attendees will be able to identify the four stroke types, what muscle groups should be used with different skill sets, how to isolate rudiments to their individual skill sets, and learn about warm-ups to better develop student skills to perform the 40 standard rudiments on snare drum or other membranophones. These goals will allow teachers to provide more specific commentary and allow their students to learn rudiments and non-pitched percussion more efficiently.
This session has been presented at the Indiana and Ohio Professional Development Conferences.

• Band - Middle School
• Band - Secondary
• Collegiate
• Mentorship/Beginning Teachers