Percussion

Faculty

Kay Stonefelt, Professor, Percussion Area Head
John Bacon
Alec Dube
Tiffany Nicely
Jamie Sunshine

About the area:

The State University of New York at Fredonia School of Music offers percussionists a place to learn, grow, and succeed in all areas of percussion. A contact time of 5-6 hours a week between student and percussion faculty is just one example of the extraordinary dedication of the faculty to its percussion program.

In addition to the study of traditional Western percussion, recital seminar, and percussion ensemble, the percussion program offers opportunity for intensive studies in jazz vibraphone and four years of ongoing experience in the traditional Mexican marimba and African balafon and drumming ensembles. Through these experiences, percussionists gain necessary skills to improvise in jazz ensembles, accompany dance classes, participate in premiere performances of new music, gain an understanding of solo percussion performance, and achieve leadership roles in the more traditional ensembles.

The School of Music curriculum provides percussion students with a broad spectrum of performance ensembles that range from large concert bands and symphony orchestra, to wind ensembles, opera, musical theatre, contemporary, new music, and jazz ensembles.

Our internationally renowned recording studio provides many opportunities for students to gain valuable experience in studio drum set performance. Percussion students who are advanced in skill, and advanced in their curriculum, may gain practical teaching-assistant experience with the supervision of a percussion faculty member for percussion pedagogy classes. Especially gifted percussionists may audition and be judged for a Performer’s Certificate and to compete in the Concerto Competition.

Percussion students are assigned to shared practice room areas. The percussion instrument collection at Fredonia is state-of-the-art and you will be excited to practice and perform on such fine equipment.

The Fredonia percussion program is a gateway to your chosen path. Our graduates are now teaching in universities, colleges, and public schools; they perform with prestigious military bands and professional orchestras; they work in TV and recording studios; accompany with professional dance companies; and have full tuition assistantships and scholarships in graduate programs throughout the US. Come meet the students and faculty. View our excellent facilities and feel the excitement – you’ll like what you experience!

Cordially,

Dr. Karolyn Stonefelt
she/her/hers
State University of New York Distinguished Professor
Chair, Percussion Studies
Percussive Arts Society 2016 recipient Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Education
SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching
Poummit Faculty Recognition Award
Honorary Bequone, by Nandom Naa, Puoure Puobe Chiir VII