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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October 27th Assignments
Lucas
How many minutes to practice: 15-30
What to practice: This week Lucas I want you to focus on playing the pre-chorus and the chorus of Seven Nation Army with the music HERE IS A VIDEO OF ME PLAYING THE PART!
How to practice effectively: This is the transcription of Seven Nation Army and here is a link to the song. Really great work this week Lucas! Its sounding awesome, just keep listening and playing along to the song. Sometimes you’re a little bit fast on the chorus with the crash cymbal so don’t be afraid to open things up a little bit and let it breath. As always, if you’re ever confused, just look back to my video!
Have fun with your costume this weekend Lucas!!
Ella
Hi Ella, sorry we couldn’t meet in person, it would have been really great to see you. I’ve always looked forward to our lessons and its been an absolute joy to teach you the past year. Please reach out if you ever need anything and it would be awesome to see you in lessons again! Here are the links and everything for Paranoid Android so you can keep working on it whenever you like!
UPDATED transcription and a link to the music And HERE IS A VIDEO OF ME PLAYING THE PART
Jonah
How many minutes to practice: 30
What to practice: This week Jonah I want you to work on the first 12 measures of the new accent tap exercise. For Rock With You work on keeping the accents on 2 and 4 and the other notes only 1 inch high.
How to practice effectively: In the Accent Tap Exercise, work through each measure just like we did today. Look at the accents, identify what count they fall on, then try playing it slowly and counting out loud. Over time you’ll get better at reading the accents and you won’t have to go through all these steps, but for now take it slow and be patient with yourself! For Rock with You, try practicing playing 16th notes on the snare drum with accents only on 2 and 4, then transfer to playing that on the hi-hat with the accents on the snare drum, thats the feeling we want with every 16th note beat in this song!
Great job today Jonah, have fun with your nerf gun!
Samson
How many minutes to practice: 15-30
What to practice: This week Samson I want you to work through the Accent Tap exercise with the feet and play through Dark Red at 0.85 speed on youtube. Here’s a link to the song.
How to practice effectively: Remember with the accent tap exercise that the accents should be strong but not tense and that the taps should be only like one inch off the drum, but still clear. Also remember to lead with the bead of the stick for this exercise and not your elbows or forearms. For the feet, just take things slow, it looks like you had the hang of it in the lesson, keep pushing the tempo! For Dark Red, the right hand on the ride cymbal is doing exactly what its doing on the Accent-Tap exercise, it transfers perfectly. Then just keep bumping the tempo!
Great work this week Samson, have a good weekend!
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.
