Toronto Drums & Percussion Teachers • Chris Hull • ABC Academy

BMus (Wilfrid Laurier University)

MMus (University of Alaska Fairbanks)

Darmasiswa Certificate (Arts Institute of Indonesia Denpasar)

MA Ethnomusicology (University of Toronto)

PhD Ethnomusicology (University of Toronto) in-progress

Christopher Hull is a percussionist and ethnomusicologist whose work focuses on tensions between tradition and innovation in contemporary music. As a passionate performer of solo, chamber, and orchestral percussion, he seeks to ground his work in his classical training while simultaneously transcending the conventions of the conservatory. With classical percussion degrees from Wilfrid Laurier University and University of Alaska Fairbanks, a performing arts certificate from the Arts Institute of Indonesia Denpasar, and his current studies in ethnomusicology at the University of Toronto, Christopher’s genre-defying work exhibits a world of experience.

As an orchestral percussionist, he frequently works with the National Academy Orchestra of Canada, the Hamilton and Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestras, and Sinfonia Ancaster. He has appeared as a chamber musician and soloist in festivals such as Open Ears, International Gamelan Festival Munich, Young Artists Niagara, and Sacred Rhythm Jakarta, and can be heard playing drums, vibraphone, and synthesizer on commercial recordings by Call Me Moon and Treephones. He is also Associate Artistic Director of Toronto-based Evergreen Club Contemporary Gamelan, commissioning and premiering new works for Sundanese degung, and director of the University of Toronto’s Balinese gamelan ensemble, Dharma Santi.

Get to know Chris…Beyond the Bio!

Hobbies: Reading, cycling, and synthesizers

Musical influences: Jojo Mayer, Benny Greb, David Garibaldi, Gary Burton, Tony Miceli, Steve Reich, Glenn Gould, Bill Evans, I Dewa Made

Favourite food: Noodles

Least favourite food: Quiche

Favourite music: R&B, hip-hop, funk; Western modernism and minimalism; Balinese gender wayang; Sundanese degung; Orchestral; beatsce Favourite song:!

Favourite movie: The Departed

Favouirite movie music: Old modern romantic soundtracks (eg. Spellbound)

Favourite musical theatre/opera: West Side Story/Turandot

Best quote from your teacher: “When we perform, we smile. If we make a mistake while performing, we smile bigger.” -Dewa Suparta

Favourite quote: “I’m a man who leaves nothing to chance.” -Maestro Boris Brott

Favourite book: Dance, Dance, Dance by Haruki Murakami

Best thing about teaching at ABC: The lovely students

Latest Homework from CHRIS

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Tuesday
Saturday

Tuesday

Tuesday, December 12th

MYLES

-Warmups (try at three speeds)

8 on a Hand

Single Strokes

Double stokes

Paradiddles (LRLL RLRR…)

*Alfred, Solo #2

Drumset Musician Worksheet p. 12 ex. 8-11 (print)

ACDC – Back in Black – add chorus**

JONAH

Triplet Exercise (Goal tempo = *115)

Sixteenth Note Exercise (goal tempo=90)

*Stick Control Ex. 57-64 (120bpm)

Joel Rothman Lesson 16**

*Memphis soul stew – main groove

Xylophone *Pno book pg 48

JOSH

-Warmups (slow, med, fast):

8 on a hand

Singles, Doubles, and Paradiddles

Roll Exercise

Double Paradiddles

Alfred Lesson 5: Combination Study

Another One Bites the Dust – up to first fill – basic beat level 1

**John Mayer: Gravity — learn the 6/8 beat in this song! count “1 2 3 4 5 6” BD on 1, SD on 4

NOAH

Warmups:

Stick Control page 10, ex 1-12–>focus on wrist strokes

FLAMS slowly with the setup — FLAM ACCENTS (see PAS Rudiments chart in google drive if you forget these)

*New Song: Finish song, keep building up the drum solo section

WILL

Pad Exercises (1min/ea):

Triplet Exercise (goal tempo=130*)

Sixteenth-note exercise (goal tempo=100)

Roll Exercises (80bpm)

Flams and Flam Taps (80-90bpm)

Rhythm exercise 40bpm

*Syncopation p. 38

Brushes: swish-and-2 3 4 pattern (rlr r r ) *and* 1 swish-and 3 4

*Steely Dan: Peg (up until Verse 2)

December 13th, 2023|

Saturday

Saturday, February 17th

I’m away for the next two weeks! Lessons will continue as usual, and Jonny will fill in on Feb 24th.

Nova

Warmups (1min each) **keep thumbs on sticks–no boxing mits
–8 on a hand
–Singles; doubles; paradiddles
–Roll exercise (apple-apple-watermelon-watermelon)
*Alfred Lesson 6 Comination Study(10min)
–Work on writing the counts out above the notes! Ask for some help from your parents
Daft Punk and Pharrell Williams: Lose Yourself to Dance
–Focus on playing the main groove and switching between the groove and fills (3 times through the beat, once through the fill)
–Chad Kroeger Drum fill

Jared

Padwork (1min/ea)
–Triplet ex. (Goal Tempo=130)
–Sixteenth-Note Exercise (goal tempo = 100)
–Flam Taps: try “breaking down” this rudiment (slow–>max speed–>slow)
–Singles, Doubles, Paradiddles – goal tempo: 130bpm
Give It Away by Red Hod Chili Peppers (Click here to print)
–Print and work on exercises 1-6 on this worksheet** (RR. 14-15)

Koel

Warmups (1min each):
–Triplet Exercise 120bpm**
–Sixteenth-note Exercise 100bpm**
Syncopation Book: Lesson 4, Ex. 5-8*** (10-15min)
–If it’s tricky, learn it in steps:
–Step 1) LH only
–Step 2) LH + RH only
–step 3) add in feet
Lenny Kravitz: Are you Gonna Go My Way
–Learn everything up until the Interlude section
–Bonus: go up until the Guitar Solo

Tracie

Warmups
–Triplet Exercise 90bpm** (1min) — dribble the basketball
–PAS Rudiments Chart: Single Stroke Roll, Single Stroke Four, Double Stroke Roll, 5-str Roll
–Bass drum exercise: “1 + 2 3 + 4 ” working on speed
–**Stick control ex. 1-8 with bass drum and snare drum (R=bass, L=Snare)
Drumset Musician: p. 15** ex. 1-4
Nirvana: Drain You
–main groove working on speed
–Learn the new fill
–Work on groove #2 (handout)

February 17th, 2024|