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, August 8th
KOEL
-Warmups (1min each):
Triplet Exercise 95bpm
1 measure RH; 2mm LH
Sixteenth-note Exercise 70bpm
One time through each pattern, then switch hands
*Swing beat
-feather the bass drum
-solid HH “chick” sound
Smells Like Teen Spirit
*Good, work on this with the recording this week
Jazz – we’ll have to get to this next week
*Come with a list of songs next week
JONAH
*Triplet Exercise (Goal tempo = 100)
1 measure RH, two measures LH
1 minute without a break
*Sixteenth Note Exercise (goal tempo=80bpm)
*Stick Control Ex. 43-50** (120bpm)
*Ex. 40 needs some work – pay extra attention the sticking
Snare drum tuning
*Paradiddles Exercise
Joel Rothman Lesson 14
*Next three lines on first page (2 repetitions of each rhythm)
*Hand Exercises #3-4 (two repetitions of each exercise)
*Rock Beats # (4 times each)
Xylophone
-Ex. 1 and 2 from Lesson 1 in the GH Green book
G Major Scale
F Major Scale
New Scale next Week
*Pno book pg 42
Hannaford Audition: the Mar-Keys: The Last Night
**Snare drum solo
Saturday, September 30th
NOVA
– Girl Guides Assignment on Sheila E.
-Warmups (30 sec each)
JARED
KOEL
TRACIE
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