If you want to be a percussionist in the 21st century, you’ve got to play a lot more than just drums.
The percussion toolkit is constantly expanding, and nowadays percussionists have to be prepared to play just about anything. Sure, there are some of the more familiar percussion instruments like gongs, marimbas, or the triangle—but there are also flower pots, kitchen pans, water glasses, and so much more. If you can hit, shake, or strike it, it’s a percussion instrument.
On this week’s episode of Second Inversion, we’re exploring the vast and vibrant world of 21st century percussion. We’ll hear music written for pails of water, planks of wood, an orchestra of gongs, and more—plus, we’ll talk with Seattle percussionist Bonnie Whiting about the revolutionary spirit of percussion.
To listen, tune in to KING FM on Saturday, March 21 at 10pm PT.
Our field trip to the percussion studio of Bonnie Whiting is available for on-demand listening below as part of an earlier episode of NW Focus Stories.