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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May 26th Assignments
** Next week I will be out of town so you guy will see Jonny next week!**
Lucas
Recommended Practice Time: 15-30mins every day
What to practice: This week I want you to focus on playing all the beats in Lesson 4 4 times in a row, counting out loud. To do this, write in 1+2+3+4+ above each beat.
How to practice effectively: Focus on getting a lot of repetitions of each beat while counting out loud. Don’t worry about getting everything perfect each time as much as just fixing one thing each time you play it. It will get easier as you go!!
Great work and improvement today Lucas, I’m super proud of you!
Ella
Recommended Practice Time: 30mins every day
What to practice: Practice all of Verbatim!
How to practice effectively: Tie it all together! Go through each section and practice it with the song. If you feel stuck listen to the recording as see if that will help you!
Super excited to finish this song with you Ella!
Jonah
Recommended practice time: 30mins every day
What to practice: This week work through the rest of the Lesson 11 reading and work on the first beats for Starlight.
How to practice effectively: Remember that for Lesson 11, with the tied notes, only the first note is played and the length of the second gets added to the first. For Starlight, Beat A is the one we learned today and Beat A Variation is a variation used in the songs verses. Work on getting these beats down and then Jonny will help you work through the other beats with the rest of the song. Here is a form chart of the song as well as the recording of the song.
Had a great time playing with you today, keep up the great work!
Samson
Recommended practice time: 30mins every day
What to practice: This week I want you to play this single stroke speed exercise and the groove for Rock with You for 1 minute at a 83, 95, 108, and 115 bpm. Use the metronome on your drum kit!
How to practice: This exercise will help develop your hands for playing this groove. Focus on relaxing and lowering your stick heights as much as possible as it gets faster! You made some great progress playing with the met so keep it up and be listening to see if you are right with it, too fast, too slow, or inconsistent. Always be subdividing and counting before you start playing and you should be golden! Your tendency right now is to be on the slow side so don’t be afraid to drive the bus, and a good way to feel that is with your bass drum since its playing quarter notes right along with the metronome!
Great improvement today Samson, keep it up!
Sylvie
Recommended practice time: 30mins every day
What to practice: This week I want you to write in all your counts for the Lesson 10 reading, then go through count it out loud without playing, and then play and count at the same time!
How to practice effectively: Writing in the counts is going to help a lot! Just make sure your rhythms are accurate. Start looking at the beats as well to work with Jonny next week.
Great job this week, see you soon!
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.
