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Percussion
Percussion students receive four 45-minute private lessons during the two-week Institute. In addition to music theory and solfège classes, they also take part in percussion master classes, chamber ensembles, a large group percussion ensemble and the Institute chamber orchestra. Lessons and master classes focus on percussion, timpani, marimba, as well as drum set. A variety of percussion styles will be covered including West African and Latin percussion and students will have the opportunity to sample playing percussion instruments from around the globe.
Percussion Artist Faculty
Josh Ryan teaches percussion, percussion methods, and directs the percussion ensemble. A versatile performer and clinician, Josh is an active musician in many genres. He has been the principal timpanist of the Madison Symphony Orchestra and has also performed with the Maryland Symphony, Peabody Symphony Orchestra, and the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra. Josh has also taught at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater where he founded the Summer Percussion Camp.
Josh has studied African music in Ghana, West Africa with the Agbeli family and is also a student of Valerie Naranjo. He has traveled to Cuba to study with Regino Jimenez and Daniel Alfonso. he is also a long-time student of Afro-Cuban percussionist Michael Spiro and has recently co-authored a book with him. A frequent clinician in non-Western styles of music, Mr. Ryan teaches workshops for music educators throughout the country and is a frequent clinician at music education conferences.
Josh is co-founder of the Africa -> West Percussion trio, a professional percussion ensemble in residence at Baldwin-Wallace College. The trio recently released it's second CD, Togo Road, and performed at the Percussive Arts Society INternational Convention. Active in new music featuring percussion instruments, he regularly performs as a solo marimbist/percussionist and chamber musician.
Mr. Ryan received his M.M. in percussion performance from the Peabody Conservatory of Music. His bachelor degrees are in music and government from Lawrence University, where he has also been a faculty member.
