M.Mus (UofT) in-progress
B.Mus (Eastman)
Gordon is a percussionist and educator interested in performing, creating, and engaging within a multitude of musical styles, invested in how music might be embodied in a variety of forms through joyful exploration.
From Tampa, Florida, Gordon became acquainted with music through piano lessons, eventually moving on to drum set and marching percussion in high school. In 2019, Gordon completed his undergraduate studies at the Eastman School of Music under the tutelage of Michael Burritt. At Eastman Gordon performed and premiered works with the Eastman Wind Ensemble, Eastman Percussion Ensemble, and Musica Nova in addition to serving for two years on the board of the student-led new music ensemble, Ossia.
He is also interested in the intersection between music and technology and has contributed to creative projects with the Eastman Audio Research Studio and the University of Toronto Percussion Ensemble.
Gordon is currently working towards completing his Master’s degree at the University of Toronto under the instruction of Aiyun Huang.
Get to know Gordon…Beyond the Bio!
Hobbies: Spending time with family and friends, watching movies, reading, spending time outside, tossing a frisbee and playing Spikeball
Musical influences: Rush, Mutemath, Max Roach, My Brightest Diamond, Son Lux, Rachel Podger, Michael Burritt, Steve Schick, Paul Rennick, Sarah Kirkland Snider, Jess Ray, Mark Andre…
Favourite food: Kanafeh (Middle-Eastern dessert)
Least favourite food: Brussel sprouts
Favourite music: Rock, Jazz, Contemporary Classical, Indie-folk, Electronic
Favourite song: One favorite is Humble Heart by Jess Ray
Favourite movie: Another favorite is Tree of Life by Terrence Malick
Favourite movie music: Bernard Herman in Vertigo, Ennio Morricone in Once Upon a Time in the West
Favourite musical theatre/opera: Hamilton, Invisible Cities by Christopher Cerrone
Best quote from your teacher: “Listen…”
Favourite quote: Romans 8:37-39
Favourite book: The Giver by Lois Lowry
Best thing about teaching at ABC: Sharing music with the students.
Latest Homework from Gordon
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February 23rd Assignments
Sebastian
Missed you today Sebastian!
How many minutes to practice: 15-30mins
What to practice: This week Sebastian I want you to play 8-8-16 and Stick Control Exercise every day as well as working on the beat for Lesson 2 beats and reading.
How to practice effectively: Good work today Sebastian! If you can see if you can get a hold of the book we’re using, its Joel Rothman’s Reading, Rudiments, and Rock Drumming. This week focus on writing in the counts for the reading in Lesson 2 and trying out the beats, it shouldn’t be too crazy. For the stick control stuff, just work on each pattern some more this week and then next week we’ll try it with the feet. If you want to build some speed, try playing 8-8-16 every day slow, medium, fast, and as fast as you can. I promise if you relax and use your wrist at the fast tempos, you’ll get way faster singles in just one week!
Have fun with your grandma this week!
Lucas
How many minutes to practice: 15-30
What to practice: This week Lucas I want you to practice this beat for the bridge of Another One Bites the Dust. Its updated in the transcription
How to practice effectively: Good work today Lucas! This week try learning the beat that comes in the bridge. I wrote it out with quarter notes on the hi-hat so it would be easier to play with the song (variation A), but if you want a challenge I’ve also written it with eighth notes (variation b). Keep working on keeping time with the song and then next week we will work on the fills!
Keep up the good work this week!
Jonah
How many minutes to practice: 30
What to practice: This week Jonah I want you to work on Lesson 13
How to practice effectively: Good work with the Lesson 12 reading today, this week try to hack through Lesson 13! Don’t worry too much about the flams or double dots, we’ll talk about those next week.
Great job counting this week Jonah!
Samson
How many minutes to practice: 15-30
What to practice: Your assignment this week Samson is to practice 10 mins a day and report back to me next week on how it went. Also listen to Todd Rundgren’s It Wouldn’t Have Made Any Difference at least once a day. Here is the UPDATED TRANSCRIPTION.
How to practice effectively: Good work today Samson! But you know where the trouble spots are! Spend 90% of your time practicing fills, thats what needs the most practice right now. And you know what I’m going to say too: keep that triplet fill tight and make sure the tempos stay consistent throughout the transitions. Try aiming for 10mins a day when you can, but the point is not to be perfect of kill yourself trying to get 10 minutes in, its just to see how this goal works out. Then next week you can tell me about the results of this experiment.
Be sure to have your mom send your vaccine info to ABC if you want to start meeting in person, that would be awesome!
Preferred Books for Gordon’s Students
Click to buy them here, and they’ll come right to your house! What could be easier?
STICK CONTROL
George Lawrence Stone’s Stick Control is the bible of drumming. In 1993, Modern Drummer magazine named the book one of the top 25 books of all-time. In the words of the author, it is the ideal book for improving: control, speed, flexibility, touch, rhythm, lightness, delicacy, power, endurance, preciseness of execution and muscular coordination, with extra attention given to the development of the weak hand.
Reading, Rudiments, and Rock Drumming
This beginner book contains the basic 3 R’s of drumming-Reading, Rudiments, and Rock, in an easy to learn format.
Intermediate Snare Drum Studies
The Art of Bop Drumming
The definitive book on bop drumming—a style that is both the turning point and the cornerstone of contemporary music’s development. This comprehensive book and audio presentation covers time playing, comping, soloing, brushes, more jazz essentials, and charts in an entertaining mix of text, music, and pertinent quotes.
