Becoming a Golden Hawk means more than just cheering on our (really good) varsity teams – it means being a student who cares about your community, who works hard in the classroom, and who takes advantage of all the learning opportunities that can happen outside the classroom, too.
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When students study percussion at Laurier, they become part of a learning process that is collegial and built on relationships. The core values of Laurier’s percussion program consist of a hard work ethic, a commitment to fellow percussionists and the expectation of musical preparation and excellence.
You will have teachers that go beyond what is expected of them, as they encourage thoughtful learning, critical thinking, pushing you to be the best that you can be. The result is a close-knit community that values memorable musical experiences, close friendships, and collective learning within a framework of outstanding musical performance.
You will be exposed to all percussive musical styles and graduate with a comprehensive understanding and knowledgeable skill set in percussion. You will learn how to perform orchestral excerpts, solo repertoire, chamber music, musical theatre, and jazz while exploring various drumming practices from around the world. This broad set of skills will make you a well-rounded player and equip you well to enter the professional world in whatever field of music it is that you choose to pursue.
Audition repertoire should be performed at a Grade 8 RCM level or higher. RCM formal training and exams are not required.
You should prepare one piece from each list of the snare drum, mallet percussion and timpani pieces. Those who have drum kit experience should be prepared to demonstrate, in any tempo and time signature, various styles including jazz (or swing), rock (or pop) and Latin. Multiple percussion works are optional.
Snare Drum Solo Pieces:
Snare Drum Methods or Collections:
Mallets:
Timpani:
Multiple Percussion:
Relax and take a deep breath! For lots of reasons, things don’t always go perfectly on audition day, and we are aware of that. We don’t expect you to be perfect. If you were already perfect, why would you need school?
What we are truly looking for is a student that is teachable, organized and well prepared. We often ask ourselves, “Does this person have the potential to thrive in our program as we work with them?”
We often learn just as much from a conversation with you as we do from your performance. So remember to be yourself, not someone you think we want you to be!