Pete's Percussion Podcast - Pete Zambito

Episode 502 - Greg Herron Pete's Percussion Podcast Maryland-based freelance percussionist and educator Greg Herron stops by to talk about his new job as McDonogh School Upper School Band Director and Music Technology teacher, along with his private percussion teaching practice (02:25), his start to freelancing, and his career and life in Boston, Mexico, studying in Cuba, and heading back to Balti...

Episode 501 - Michael Jones Pete's Percussion Podcast New York-based Percussionist, Recording Artist, Researcher and Educator Michael Jones stops by to talk about his current teaching job at Bard College (NY) and his work throughout the school (04:40), how his graduate studies at UC-San Diego influenced his solo CD projects (17:30), his philosophical research on ontology and percussion instrument...

Episode 500 - Megan Arns (2026) Pete's Percussion Podcast It’s Episode 500, and the 10-year Anniversary of Pete’s Percussion Podcast!  After Pete talks about the early days of the show (01:45), he welcomes back his Mizzou colleague, member of the Percussive Arts Society Board of Directors, Percussionist, Educator and Administrator Megan Arns back to the show for the first time in 8 years!&nbs...

Episode 499 - Matthew Hinkle Pete's Percussion Podcast No File Recent Master of Music in Percussion Performance graduate from the University of Missouri Matthew Hinkle stops by to talk about his Master’s degree recital program (03:35), his graduate assistantship duties in percussion and recording services (11:10), his interactions with the Mizzou faculty, his enjoyment of the grad cohort there, an...

Episode 498 - Sam Quinones Pete's Percussion Podcast Following Pete’s thoughts about his experiences at the Canadian Percussion Network’s “The Space Between V” conference, Author and journalist Sam Quinones ( The Perfect Tuba ) stops by to talk about Sam’s career in journalism, growing up in California, crime reporting, and writing about tuba players and band directors (06:05), his relationship wi...

Episode 497 - Candice Hill Pete's Percussion Podcast Kansas City-based freelancing percussionist, educator, Steel Pan artist, composer and arranger Candice Hill stops by to talk about her career in KC and getting started there, along with her time performing with the Kansas City Chiefs drumline (03:45), teaching and performing in town, arranging and composing, and her work “Red City Calypso” (21:3...

Episode 496 - Terry Sweeney Pete's Percussion Podcast Sandbox Percussion Member and Educator Terry Sweeney stops by to talk about his work with Sandbox, their teaching at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and Mannes (NY), and the Bob Van Sice influence (03:50), the beginnings of Sandbox Percussion, Terry’s challenges of performing in Sandbox and finishing his master’s degree at the same time,...

Episode 495 - Genevieve Hilburn (Part 2) Pete's Percussion Podcast California-based Percussionist, Educator, and Adjudicator Genevieve Hilburn returns for Part 2 of our conversation! She’s here to discuss getting into the Master’s Program at East Texas A&M University, studying with Brian Zator and his community of percussion experts, and the focus on developing young percussionists there...

Episode 494 - Genevieve Hilburn (Part 1) Pete's Percussion Podcast California State University – Bakersfield and Bakersfield College Percussion Professor Genevieve Hilburn stops by to talk about her teaching at both schools (04:20), the influence of DCI and WGI on teaching in California schools and the challenges of teaching in the performing arts (15:00), getting into the WGI judging circuit, her...

Episode 493 - Jenna Duranko Pete's Percussion Podcast Maryland-based Freelancing Percussionist, Recording Artist, Composer, Author and Admissions Counselor Jenna Duranko stops by to talk about her career, her seminary studies, playing in senior-living spaces, and her recent album Mosaic (04:20), growing up in Frederick (MD), her early musical background in choir, piano and French horn, and her tim...

Episode 492 - Caitlin Cawley Pete's Percussion Podcast New York City-based Freelancing Percussionist, Teacher and Composer Caitlin Cawley stops by to talk about her professional life and her work with the percussion groups Talujon and Mantra Percussion (04:20), growing up on Long Island, her musical beginnings, and her time in the Juilliard pre-college program (22:00), attending Boston University...

Episode 491 - Bob McCormick Pete's Percussion Podcast Current Tampa-based Percussion Freelancer and Educator and Retired Director of Percussion Studies at the University of South Florida Bob McCormick stops by to talk about his current life and how he stays healthy (03:40), growing up in Cleveland and Southern California, his early musical influences and his time in undergrad (10:55), his work wit...

Episode 490 - Lee Hinkle Pete's Percussion Podcast Pennsylvania State University Percussion Professor Lee Hinkle stops by to talk about all things Penn State, getting hired during the pandemic, negotiating the job, and entrepreneurship classes (03:35), his predecessor Dan Armstrong, the facilities, recruitment, and Penn State football (18:20), freelancing and his faculty teaching load (32:55), his...

Episode 489 - Mike Vercelli Pete's Percussion Podcast West Virginia University Director of the School of Music and Director of the World Music Performance Center Mike Vercelli stops by to talk about his work at WVU along with their incredible percussion inventory (03:10), his work navigating the new financial reality for colleges and the importance of developing entrepreneurship in students (18:00...

Episode 488 - Jenny Klukken Pete's Percussion Podcast Minneapolis-based musician, educator, percussionist, recording artist, and visual artist Jenny Klukken stops by to talk about her portfolio career and the challenges of playing marimba in small rooms (04:50), her recording and compositional process, her new album Marimba Standard , and the importance of entrepreneurship in the arts (24:30), gro...

Episode 487 - Jonny Allen Pete's Percussion Podcast Sandbox Percussion Group member, as well as freelancer, percussionist, and educator Jonny Allen stops by to talk about all things Sandbox Percussion, including the beginnings of the band, member responsibility to each other, and getting to teach (03:20), their work with Andy Akiho on Seven Pillars (29:05), Jonny’s work with the American Modern Op...

Episode 486 - Fabrice Marandola Pete's Percussion Podcast McGill University (QB) Percussion Professor and co-founder of the Percussion Group Sixtrum Fabrice Marandola stops by to talk about his job at McGill, his teaching career in France prior to moving to Canada, the nature of entrepreneurship, and supervising the new percussion space at the University (04:05), all things Sixtrum, along with the...

Episode 485 - Jake Nissly Pete's Percussion Podcast Principal Percussionist with the San Francisco Symphony and Director of Percussion Studies at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music Jake Nissly stops by to talk about both of his positions, the orchestral auditions process, his mentors, being versatile in many genres of percussion, and his experiences with the Detroit and Cleveland Symphonies (...

Episode 484 - Alex Wier Pete's Percussion Podcast University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Percussion Professor Alex Wier stops by to talk about his job at UWM, Present Music, Chamber Music Playing, and the culture of the arts in Milwaukee (03:10), growing up in St. Louis and Phoenix, his musical beginnings, marching band, and playing video games (24:50), attending the University of Arizona for undergrad...

Episode 483 - Andy Miller Pete's Percussion Podcast Indiana University Lecturer in Music Andy Miller stops by to talk about his percussion position at IU and the opportunities for creative concert outlets (03:00), being on the 2025 PASIC New Music/Research panel on Percussion and Dance and his prior teaching position at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (22:15), growing up in Dayton (OH) and g...

Episode 482 - Meridythe Witt Pete's Percussion Podcast Orlando (FL) - based Percussionist and Dancer Meridythe Witt stops by to talk about performing as a dancer and drummer in theme parks, the audition process for these gigs, and how she stays “grounded in dance” (02:25), growing up in California, Indiana and Maryland, her musical family and their influence on her life, getting into dance and mus...

Episode 481 - Mika Godbole (Part 2) Pete's Percussion Podcast Mika Godbole returns to talk about attending Rowan University (NJ) for her master’s, studying orchestral music and taking auditions, and moving her focus to chamber music (03:25), attending Rutgers University (NJ) for her doctorate, her research on Steve Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians , timpani talk, teaching at York College (PA) and he...

Episode 480 - Mika Godbole (Part 1) Pete's Percussion Podcast Educator, Freelancer, Vice President of the New Jersey Percussive Arts Society, and PAS New Music/Research member Mika Godbole stops by to talk about her adjunct position at William Paterson University (NJ) (03:55), her freelancing career and working as a member of the Mantra Percussion Sextet (20:00), her roles with the Percussive Arts...

Episode 479 - Gina Ryan Pete's Percussion Podcast Percussionist, Composer, and Professor of Music at the University of Quebec at Montreal Gina Ryan stops by to talk about her teaching activities in Montreal (04:30), working with Sixtrum Percussion Ensemble and Triolet Percussion Group, and her percussion freelancing and composing activities (14:45), growing up in Newfoundland, Canada, creating the...

Episode 478 - Triolet Pete's Percussion Podcast Triolet Percussion Group (Kristie Ibrahim, Gina Ryan, and Victoria Sparks) stop by to talk about their performance of Jessie Marino’s “The Flower Episode” at PASIC50 (04:15), the Canadian Percussion Network, the Space Between conferences, and more about how Triolet got together as a group (21:30), and updates with the new building at Victoria’s Unive...