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
Is Gordon Your Teacher?
Sign up now to get your weekly assignments delivered, and never lose your homework sheet again!
March 10th Assignments
Lucas
Recommended Practice Time: 15-30mins every day
What to practice: This week Lucas I want you to play through Lesson 2 and write in all of the counts for the Reading portion
How to practice effectively: Remember that we are just writing in the numbers exactly like how they are written in the first line, but for every line. Ask your parents or your brother for help if you need.
Good work today, keep asking questions and figuring out everything that confuses you!
Ella
Recommended Practice Time: 30mins every day
What to practice: Next week Ella I want you to play through Etude IV again and try to work on the beat that we worked on today which is posted here.
How to practice effectively: For the Peters etude, focus on keep the accents big and stopping the stick with the back fingers when it hits the drum so that the taps can be really quiet. Just go slowly and take some time everyday on it. For Verbatim, focus on just practicing that hi-hat technique as much as possible, feel the way the arm pumps and the wrist relaxes to get the notes out. Work on this slowly with 16th notes and 8ths notes and find your tempo limit. Then work each day to get it closer to the song tempo which is around 74 I think.
And here is some fun listening if you’re interested:
Imogen Heap, Speak for Yourself
Muse, Black Holes and Revelations
Great work ethic today Ella!
Jonah
Recommended practice time: 30mins every day
What to practice: Next week Jonah I want you to work on the beats for Lesson 10 again. Also take another listen to Uptown Funk!
How to practice effectively: Good work today Jonah with the beats, they just need a little bit more work! Also I think we’re going to learn more of Uptown Funk so keep drumming to it!
Keep jamming out Jonah!
Samson
Recommended practice time: 30mins every day
What to practice: Next week Samson, lets go over the beats at the end of Lesson 8 again and work some on Uptown Funk too!
How to practice effectively: Good work with the fills and beats but I think we can get a little more comfortable with them! Also take some more listens to Uptown Funk so we can dig into it next week!
Keep up the practicing Samson!
Sylvie
Recommended practice time: 30mins every day
What to practice: Take a break this week Sylvie, great job on Starlight!
How to practice effectively: Next week we’ll get started on a new lesson!
Great job Sylvie!
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.
