Come hang out and talk about music with Sam

See below for info on Boston Conservatory, Boston University, JSPS, BUTI, and independent classes and lessons.

The Boston Conservatory at Berklee

I am Associate Professor at BCB (or BoCo as it is commonly called), where I work in close collaboration with my colleagues, Nancy Zeltsman, Doug Perkins, and Kyle Brightwell. In addition to private lessons, percussion students work with me in Percussion Ensemble, Percussion Pedagogy class, and Orchestra Repertoire class. I also present clinics and direct performance classes as part of our Percussion Seminar, a class time that is shared with the rest of the faculty as well as guest artists. I also teach a class called Complexity in Rhythm as part of the theory department.  

BoCo offers degrees and diplomas in PercussionMarimba, and Contemporary Music Performance: 

Bachelor of Music (BM) — 4 year program
with focus on Percussion Performance 

Masters of Music (MM) — 2 year program
Graduate Performance Diploma (GPD) — 2 year program
Professional Studies Certificate (PS) — 1 year program
with focuses on Percussion Performance, Marimba Performance, and Contemporary Music Percussion Performance 

Artist Diploma (ADP) — full scholarship, 2 year program
with focuses on Percussion Performance and Marimba Performance 

The Boston University College of Fine Arts

At the BU CFA I serve as Lecturer in Percussion along with my colleagues Tim Genis and Kyle Brightwell. In addition to private lessons, I direct the BU Percussion Ensemble (BUPE). I also teach a class called Complexity in Rhythm. 

BU offers degrees and diplomas in Percussion Performance:

Bachelor of Music (BM) — 4 year program

Masters of Music (MM)  — 2 year program

Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) — dissertation or recital track, about 5-7 year program
DMA students may choose to focus their work in lessons toward a particular career path, such as a particular instrument, style of music, technology, teaching, and so on. 
 

Performance Diploma — 2 year program

Artist Diploma — 2 year program

 

The Juilliard Summer Percussion Seminar (JSPS)

I am Artistic Director of the Juilliard Summer Percussion Seminar, a summer percussion camp for talented high school percussionists. Set in the exciting cultural environment of New York’s Lincoln Center, the Seminar offers students hands-on instruction in orchestral, contemporary, and world music styles. Participants experience a challenging range of master classes, clinics, lectures, rehearsals, and performances led by a faculty roster of today’s most prominent percussion teachers and performers. The Seminar exposes students to the diverse skills and careers represented by Juilliard’s faculty and graduates and prepares them for success in college auditions and beyond. 

The Boston University Tanglewood Institute (BUTI)

BUTI is a summer music festival for talented high-school-aged musicians where I serve as Percussion Director for the Young Artist Programs with my colleague George Nickson. There are three programs at BUTI available to percussionists:

Percussion Workshop — two weeks long, and run by Tim Genis and Kyle Brightwell
Young Artist Wind Ensemble (YAWE) — four weeks long
Young Artist Orchestra (YAO) — six weeks

The Workshop runs before the Young Artist programs. The Wind Ensemble and Orchestra begin together and run concurrently for four weeks; the Orchestra then stay two weeks longer. Students participating in YAWE and YAO also play in a joint Percussion Ensemble, take lessons, receive copious coachings in the large ensembles, and play in masterclasses with guest artists. 

Additionally, students of BUTI get a season-long pass to the Tanglewood Grounds, with access to 6-12 top notch concerts EACH WEEK, including three different programs by the Boston Symphony, a Tanglewood Music Center orchestra concert, BSO and TMC chamber concerts, guest ensembles, guest artist recital, and so on. No other summer music environment provides such a volume of exposure to high quality live performance.

Lectures, Clinics, Masterclasses, and Private Teaching

I am available for classes and lessons for percussionists and composers. Just ask!