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, Nov. 7th
MYLES
JONAH
JOSH
NOAH
Stick Control page 10, ex 1-16***
Bring some ideas for new songs. Here are some ideas to try out.
WILL
Saturday, January 27th
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 ex. 1-6 (10min)
*New Song: Scott Pilgrim
–Today we reviewed the first two lines. Practice this so that you can play it correctly five times in a row (five finger game)(10min)
–The third line is almost the same. Try learning it this week (hint: the only big difference is at the end of the line)*** (5min)
Some new song ideas:
–Daft Punk and Pharrell Williams: Lose Yourself to Dance
–Lenny Kravitz: Are You Gonna Go My Way
–Isley Brothers: It’s Your Thing
–Bon Jovi: Livin’ On a Prayer
–AC/DC: Back in Black
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
Fall Out Boy – Dance, Dance *up until bottom of page 2
–Half-time groove on the third line p3: practice COUNTING then playing
–**Let’s try to finish this off this week! Play it over and over with a recording
Extra foot exercises:
–16th ex. with bass drum **add in quarter notes on the ride cymbal and snare drum on 2 and 4
–doubles between LH-RF **break it down (slow-fast-slow) like the flam rudiment
***New Song: Give It Away by Red Hot Chili Peppers
Koel
Warmups (1min each):
–Triplet Exercise 110bpm
–Sixteenth-note Exercise 90bpm
Syncopation Book: good work **this week start on lesson 4 (PDF p9/book p10) ex 1-4 keeping
Lenny Kravitz: Are you Gonna Go My Way
–Everything up until Chorus*
Tracie
Warmups
–Triplet Exercise (80bpm*)
–PAS Rudiments Chart: Single Stroke Roll, Single Stroke Four, Double stroke Roll, 5-stroke roll
–Bass drum exercise: “1 + 2 3 + 4 ” working on speed
Nirvana: Drain You–main groove working on speed
–Focusing on the “+ 1 +” seam between the repetitions
Preferred Books for TCHRNAME Students
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