Pete's Percussion Podcast - Pete Zambito

Episode 452 - Christopher Wilson Pete's Percussion Podcast Washington State University Professor of Percussion, Assistant Professor of Music, Marching Band Drumline Director, and recording artist Christopher Wilson stops by to talk about his recently released album of David Maslanka’s marimba solos called A Solemn Music (03:10), his job at WSU and recruiting in that part of the state (25:25), grow...

Episode 451 - Liam Teague Pete's Percussion Podcast Northern Illinois University Director of Steel Pan Studies, as well as Performer, Educator and Composer Liam Teague stops by to talk about his job, how he came to NIU in the 1990s, writing and arranging for steel drum ensemble, working with non-majors, and musical preparation (03:20), his musical upbringing in Trinidad & Tobago, the importanc...

Episode 450 - Robert Dillon Pete's Percussion Podcast Third Coast Percussion Month concludes with Ensemble Member and Development Director Robert Dillon, who stops by to talk about the early years for the group, his previous jobs and his orchestral career prior to TCP going full time (02:45), the importance of grant writing and his version of the Glenn Kotche story (21:20), bringing in Peter Marti...

Episode 449 - Peter Martin Pete's Percussion Podcast Third Coast Percussion Month continues!  We celebrate their 20th Anniversary as an ensemble with Ensemble Member and Finance Director Peter Martin, who discusses their current season and collaborations, the importance of non-artistic roles for the group, the early years financially and artistically, and being able to go full-time (02:10), t...

Episode 448 - Sean Connors Pete's Percussion Podcast Third Coast Percussion Month Continues!  Ensemble Member, Technical Director, and Education Director Sean Connors stops by to talk about joining TCP, learning from early gigs, administrative challenges, and his version of the Glenn Kotche story (02:15), growing up in Bergen County (NJ), getting into percussion, and his experiences playing u...

Episode 447 - David Skidmore Pete's Percussion Podcast Third Coast Percussion Executive Director and performer David Skidmore stops by to talk about TCP’s early years, how they booked gigs in the early days and finding their current Chicago home (05:00), becoming a non-profit, their Artist-in-Residence Program and getting more administrative help for the group (24:30), the camaraderie among the me...

Episode 446 - Cassidy Lester Pete's Percussion Podcast Executive Director for the Symphony of the Mountains Orchestra, Percussionist, Freelancer, and Educator Cassidy Lester stops by to talk about her work with the Symphony (03:05), her freelancing and teaching and how important performing is to her mental health (16:30), growing up in the Tri-Cities region of Tennessee, traveling with family to j...

Episode 445 - Luke Haymon Pete's Percussion Podcast 2025 University of Missouri Master of Music in Percussion Performance graduate Luke Haymon stops by to talk about his final master’s recital (03:55), studying outside of percussion at Mizzou, including conducting with Dr. Christian Noon and piano tuning from Lucy Urlacher (14:15), his overall percussion activities here, including his role as assi...

Episode 444 - Josh Graham (Part 2) Pete's Percussion Podcast University of Illinois Percussion Professor Josh Graham returns to talk about his post-master’s degree years in Michigan and taking non-music opportunities to make it work (02:15), moving to Chicago, getting his doctorate at the University of Illinois, getting more fully into chamber music, and his time teaching at the University of Nort...

Episode 443 - Josh Graham (Part 1) Pete's Percussion Podcast Freelancer, Performer, and Director of Percussion Activities at the University of Illinois Josh Graham stops by to talk about his work with the F PLUS chamber trio (04:55), his job at Illinois and replacing legends there (19:20), growing up near Detroit, getting into percussion, and the novels of William Faulkner (38:30), his undergrad y...

Episode 442 - Thomas Taylor Pete's Percussion Podcast North Carolina Central University Percussion Professor, Freelancer, Bandleader, and Composer Thomas Taylor stops by to talk about his career so far at NCCU (03:25), the music program and jazz program there and its place in the state (16:50), his freelancing career (33:40), growing up in Elizabeth City (NC), his early life in percussion, and pla...

Episode 441 - Mark Reynolds (Part 2) Pete's Percussion Podcast Sabian Cymbal Company National Director of Sales and Education for Music Schools and Director of the Ohio State University Marching Band drumline Mark Reynolds returns to talk about growing up in Columbus, OH, his early days playing percussion, and rolling skating and bowling as a young man (03:30), going to Ohio State for undergrad (1...

Episode 440 - Mark Reynolds (Part 1) Pete's Percussion Podcast Sabian Cymbal Company National Director of Sales and Education for Music Schools and Director of the Ohio State University Marching Band drumline Mark Reynolds stops by to talk about his Sabian job, the school rewards program, and folks who professionally represent Sabian well (03:45), the Ohio State drumline job, updating the sound an...

Episode 439 - Joby Burgess Pete's Percussion Podcast U.K.-based percussionist, session musician and performer Joby Burgess stops by to talk about all things session musician work and his career in chamber music (03:00), his album A Percussionist’s Songbook (42:20), growing up in western England, his piano background, and his time as a university student at the Guildhall School (54:30), and finishi...

Episode 438 - Von Hansen Pete's Percussion Podcast Washburn University (KS) Percussion Professor, Composer, and Performer Von Hansen stops by to talk about his recent album Mortal Coil (03:15), his Percussion and Composition job at Washburn (16:05), growing up in Topeka and the wide array of musical experiences of his early life (25:30), going to Washburn for undergrad and studying with Tom Morgan...

Episode 437 - Brian Blume Pete's Percussion Podcast U.S. Army’s Pershing’s Own Ceremonial Band Percussionist Brian Blume stops by to talk about his military music job and his work with TapSpace Publications (02:35), his composition history (22:25), growing up in Indiana with music director parents, and his piano and sports background (30:30), attending Indiana University for undergrad and his drum...

Episode 436 - Steven Schick Pete's Percussion Podcast Solo Percussionist, Author, Conductor, and longtime Director of Percussion at the University of California-San Diego Steven Schick stops by to talk about the UCSD program, teaching doctoral students, and the art of performing on percussion in the 21st century (02:25), growing up in northern Iowa, his jazz drumset influences, sailing in high sch...

Episode 435 - Brady Spitz Pete's Percussion Podcast Appalachian State University Percussion Professor Brady Spitz stops by to talk about his position at the school, what it’s like to teach in the mountains, and the various natural disasters he’s lived through (02:40), growing up in Colorado, his background playing in bands and performing in the pit in musicals, and his sports background (32:00), h...

Episode 434 - Eric Hollenbeck (Part 2) Pete's Percussion Podcast Colorado State University Percussion Professor Eric Hollenbeck returns to talk about playing sports in high school and more about percussion sound concepts (01:30) his college undergrad and graduate career and studying with Michael Burritt and Tom Siwe (18:40), a discussion of his first teaching job at the University of Alabama at Bi...

Episode 433 - Eric Hollenbeck (Part 1) Pete's Percussion Podcast Colorado State University (CSU) Director of Percussion Studies Eric Hollenbeck stops by to talk about his job at CSU and the facilities at the school (03:15), how CSU fits in with other music programs in the state, the students of today, the influence of drum corps, recruiting, and audiences we play for (19:30), and growing up in ups...

Episode 432 - Marcia McCants Pete's Percussion Podcast Percussionist, Educator, Freelancer, and Psychologist Marcia McCants stops by to talk about her Adjunct Percussion Instructor position at Virginia State University and going to England to get her Master of Psychology degree (02:30), living and studying in England (19:50) growing up in California and Virginia, having a musical family, and getti...

Episode 431 - Ian Rosenbaum Pete's Percussion Podcast Sandbox Percussion co-founder, Percussionist, Freelancer and Educator Ian Rosenbaum stops by to talk about the origins of the group, early performances, group management, and dealing with inventory (02:40), how Sandbox develops relationships with composers and their connections to Só Percussion and Third Coast Percussion (22:20), the rehearsal...

Episode 430 - Eriko Daimo Pete's Percussion Podcast Solo Percussionist and Educator Eriko Daimo stops by to discuss her career as a percussion soloist, her teaching at Juilliard and NYU, and the nature of arranging for marimba (02:45), growing up in Japan, traveling around the world, her piano background and experiences in wind ensemble (38:05), her undergrad years at the Aichi Prefectural Univers...

Episode 429 - Ben Wahlund Pete's Percussion Podcast Northern Illinois University (NIU) Instructor of Percussion and Director of Percussion Studies at the College of DuPage (IL) Ben Wahlund stops by to talk about his teaching at both universities, the role of instructor/lecturer vs. professor, and PAS experiences (03:15), his compositional career and the Mile Marker Zero project (29:30), growing up...

Episode 428 - Daniel Glass Pete's Percussion Podcast New York City-based Percussionist, Educator and Author Daniel Glass stops by to talk about his musical activities (03:40), the beginnings of his career in NYC and dealing with issues of gear for gigs (10:45), growing up in Honolulu (HI), his eclectic musical background, moving to Boston (MA) and eventually making his way to Los Angeles (CA) (29:...