Degree Programs: Percussion
Degree Programs | Graduate | Keyboard | Percussion | Strings | Voice
The Nazareth College Percussion Ensemble and Marimba Band
- weekly rehearsals
- performances each semester
- wide variety of percussion literature including contemporary and classical works, jazz, improvisation, marimba literature, electronic and acoustic percussion, latin percussion, and student works.
- open to non-majors by audition
Past Tours include performances at
- the Winter NYSSMA Conferences, Rochester
- NYS Percussive Arts Society Days of Percussion
- Onondaga Community College
- Monroe Community College
- Finger Lakes Community College
- South Seneca High School
- NYSBDA Symposium, Syracuse, NY
- Villa Maria College, Buffalo, NY
- the MENC National Biennial In-Service Conference, Phoenix, AZ
Percussion Master Classes
-weekly classes in areas such as jazz drumset, improvisation on mallet percussion and hand drums, orchestral percussion, maintenance and repair of percussion equipment, percussion literature, marimba, vibraphone, and multiple percussion.
- student performance classes for works in progress utilizing peer as well as teacher review.
Weekly Private Lessons
Lessons are offered to percussion majors and minors. All areas of percussion are covered with an emphasis on the teaching/learning process as well as excellence in performance. Students perform solo and chamber music literature each semester in recitals, for juries, and often in the surrounding community.
*PERCUSSION METHODS CLASSES for Music Education and Music Therapy students*
-offered to all music majors with an emphasis on percussion education.
-after completing these courses, students will be able to do the following: 
Percussion Group
1. teach beginning to intermediate lessons on snare drum including preparation for contest solos.
2. play the snare drum, timpani, hand drums, and marimba and give lessons on each.
3. play basic beats on the drumset.
4. improve your rhythmic skills on all instruments.
5. play in and conduct a percussion ensemble.
6. repair and maintain percussion instruments.
7. select methods books for your students.
8. compose your own percussion music.
We offer one of the most comprehensive Percussion Education courses in New York State. Student Trips to PASIC Nazareth percussion students travel to the Percussive Arts Society International Convention as a group: our most recent trip was November 1-4, 2007 to Columbus, Ohio. For more information on the world's most comprehensive percussion organization, log on to www.pas.org. For more information on Percussion at Nazareth, please contact Kristen Shiner McGuire at 585-389-2704; www.kristenshinermcguire.com; shinermcguire@frontiernet.net
SPRING 2009 PERCUSSION EVENTS at Nazareth
- SUNDAY MARCH 1ST 3 PM PERCUSSION FACULTY CHAMBER MUSIC CONCERT
- FRIDAY APRIL 17TH 2:30 PM PERCUSSION STUDIO RECITAL
- FRIDAY APRIL 17TH 6 PM KYLE POTTER, SENIOR RECITAL
- TUESDAY APRIL 21ST 7:30 PM PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE
- THURSDAY APRIL 23RD 4:30-6 PM RICH THOMPSON, DRUM SET CLINIC
- SATURDAY APRIL 25TH 2 PM JUSTIN PASSAMONTE, SENIOR RECITAL
Kristen Shiner McGuire has been the Coordinator of Percussion Studies at Nazareth College since 1984. In 1998, she received the Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award. She has served on the Board of Directors for the International Percussive Arts Society and won the Outstanding Chapter President Award in 1993.
Ms. Shiner McGuire is a published author and composer as well as a performing musician and clinician. She holds a Masters Degree in Percussion Performance and a Performer's Certificate from the Eastman School of Music and has studied marimba in Japan with virtuoso Keiko Abe. She is currently a performer with the Maelstrom Percussion Ensemble, the RPO Marimba Band, Kind of Blue trio, and is the drummer and lead singer for Rochester's finest rock/R and B/ funk group, Stone Ojo Band.
Ensemble in Concert
Fantasy on Japanese Woodprints: KSM with NCR Orchestra 2009