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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April 21st Assignments
** Next week I have a performance, so I won’t be teaching! Louis Pino will be subbing for me instead**
Lucas
Recommended Practice Time: 15-30mins every day
What to practice: This week Lucas I want you to write in the counts for the rest of the reading from Lesson 3 and work on the hand exercises and beats as well.
How to practice effectively: Do the exact same thing this week for writing in the counts as you did last week! Remember to keep your sticks in an arrow and start and stop each stroke 6 inches above the drum. Do the same for the hand exercises and work on the new beats as much as you can.
Great job today Lucas, I’m seeing a lot of improvement with your reading music!
Ella
Recommended Practice Time: 30mins every day
What to practice: This week keep practicing the first chorus of Verbatim.
How to practice effectively: Keep using check patterns for the chorus groove and think about putting more weight on the 3rd beat rather than the 16th note that precedes it, thats going to help get you closer to the right feel. Then practice getting through the fills and playing it along to the song!
Great progress this week, keep up the grooove
Jonah
Recommended practice time: 30mins every day
What to practice: This week Jonah keep working on playing through Uptown Funk!
How to practice effectively: Work on getting the details down, nailing the fills and knowing when you want to switch beats at the end. Work on keeping everything smooth and getting the ending clean! Here is the partial transcription we were using: Uptown Funk.
Great Job today Jonah, Uptown Funk is going to be great!
Samson
Recommended practice time: 30mins every day
What to practice: This week Samson if you want to play in the recital May 1st, have a parent call Barnaby for details. Then work on this Coffin Dance transcription!
How to practice effectively: Read along my transcription and try to play it to the music!
Keep up the practicing Samson!
Sylvie
Recommended practice time: 30mins every day
What to practice: This week Sylvie I want you to work on the paradiddle-diddles in Lesson 9 off the right and left hands, with and without accents on the first note. Also work through the beats again. If you have time start going through the Lesson 10 Reading!
How to practice effectively: For the paradiddle-diddles work on the contrast between the accented and non-accented notes. Try these with and without the accents and off the left hand too! For the Lesson 10 reading make sure to pay attention to the dynamics!
It was fun making zoom art with you today!
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.
