About Percussion Studies at the University of Houston

Having joined the University of Houston faculty in August 1997, percussionist and composer Blake Wilkins is Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Percussion Studies at the Moores School of Music. Prior to coming to the University of Houston, he served as Visiting Instructor of Percussion at the University of Oklahoma and as percussion instructor at Langston University. He also served as percussionist and substitute principal timpanist with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic from 1993-97, and was a member of the Oklahoma Panhandlers, a professional steel drum band. Additionally, he is a strong advocate for the performance of new music, and in addition to performing regularly with the University of Southern California's Contemporary Music Ensemble and OU's New Century Ensemble, he co-founded El Dos,an experimental improvisation duo, with bassist Michael Lee. In particular, he is a specialist in solo classical marimba performance. Dr. Wilkins completed a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Percussion Performance at the University of Oklahoma. He also received Bachelor's degrees from OU in both percussion performance and composition, and a Master's degree in composition from the University of Southern California, where he also taught Music Theory.

Dr. Wilkins has recently cultivated a research interest in contemporary Japanese music for percussion. A particular interest in the music of Toru Takemitsu in revealed in his doctoral document, "An Analysis of Musical Temporality in Toru Takemitsu's Rain Tree (1981)." For this work, Dr. Wilkins was awarded the 1999 Provost's Dissertation Award by the University of Oklahoma.

Equally active as a composer, Dr. Wilkins has studied composition with Robert Moore, James Hopkins, and Michael Hennagin amongst others. His catalog reveals compositions of large scale for a variety of media, but his primary orientation is toward chamber music for non-traditional combinations of instruments. His two works for large percussion ensemble -- Twilight Offering Music (1986) and Compendium (1994) -- are published by the OU Percussion Press and have been recorded by the University of Oklahoma Percussion Ensemble on the compact disc, Twilight Offering Music,distributed by Albany Records (TROY 214). Twilight Offering Music was a prize winner in the 1988 Percussive Arts Society International Composition Competition.

Dr. Wilkins teaches all applied percussion lessons and the Percussion Techniques for Non-Percussionists. He also directs the Moores School Percussion Ensemble, Marimba Band, and Steel Drum Band. He endorses Sabian cymbals and mallets by Innovative Percussion.


	BLAKE M. WILKINS Director of Percussion Studies Having joined the University of Houston faculty in August 1997, percussionist and composer Blake Wilkins is Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Percussion Studies at the Moores School of Music. Prior to coming to the University of Houston, he served as Visiting Instructor of Percussion at the University of Oklahoma and as percussion instructor at Langston University. He also served as percussionist and substitute principal timpanist with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic from 1993-97, and was a member of the Oklahoma Panhandlers, a professional steel drum band. Additionally, he is a strong advocate for the performance of new music, and in addition to performing regularly with the University of Southern California's Contemporary Music Ensemble and OU's New Century Ensemble, he co-founded El Dos,an experimental improvisation duo, with bassist Michael Lee. In particular, he is a specialist in solo classical marimba performance. Dr. Wilkins completed a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Percussion Performance at the University of Oklahoma. He also received Bachelor's degrees from OU in both percussion performance and composition, and a Master's degree in composition from the University of Southern California, where he also taught Music Theory. Dr. Wilkins has recently cultivated a research interest in contemporary Japanese music for percussion. A particular interest in the music of Toru Takemitsu in revealed in his doctoral document, *"An Analysis of Musical Temporality in Toru Takemitsu's Rain Tree* (1981)."** For this work, Dr. Wilkins was awarded the 1999 Provost's Dissertation Award by the University of Oklahoma. Equally active as a composer, Dr. Wilkins has studied composition with Robert Moore, James Hopkins, and Michael Hennagin amongst others. His catalog reveals compositions of large scale for a variety of media, but his primary orientation is toward chamber music for non-traditional combinations of instruments. His two works for large percussion ensemble -- Twilight Offering Music (1986) and Compendium (1994) -- are published by the OU Percussion Press and have been recorded by the University of Oklahoma Percussion Ensemble on the compact disc, Twilight Offering Music,distributed by Albany Records (TROY 214). Twilight Offering Music was a prize winner in the 1988 Percussive Arts Society International Composition Competition. Dr. Wilkins teaches all applied percussion lessons and the Percussion Techniques for Non-Percussionists. He also directs the Moores School Percussion Ensemble, Marimba Band, and Steel Drum Band. He endorses Sabian cymbals and mallets by Innovative Percussion.
	BRIAN DEL SIGNORE *Affiliate Artist - Orchestral Percussion Techniques* Brian Del Signore is the principal percussionist and associate principal timpanist with the Houston Symphony. He joined the Houston Symphony in 1986. Born in Pittsburgh, PA, Mr. Del Signore studied with the percussionists and timpanists of the PIttsburgh Symphony and earned a Bacholor of Fine Arts degree from Carnegie-Mellon University. Mr. Del Signore also has a Master of Music degree from Temple University in Philadelphia, where he studied with Alan Abel of the Philadelphia Orchestra. As a principal musician, Mr. Del Signore keeps a busy 52-week yearly schedule with the Houston Symphony, which tours internationally and records for RCA-BMG, Koch International, and Telarc. At the Moores School of Music Mr. Del Signore offers specialized private study in orchestral percussion techniques and literature for selected doctoral students.
	JOEL FULGHAM *Affiliate Artist - Drum Set* Joel H. Fulgham, a full-time drum set specialist, serves as instructor of drum set at the Moores School of Music. A native Houstonian, Mr. Fulgham was educated at the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts and at North Texas State University. His wide range of performance credits include jazz artists Freddie Hubbard, Eddie Harris, Arnett Cobb, Carl Fontana, Joe Henderson, Joe Lovano, George Coleman, Michael Brecker, and Bill Watrous. He is currently leading his own five-piece New York style small group called "Monstrosity," as well as the new Maria Williams Big Band. Mr. Fulgham also performs with Stratus, Jazz in the Morning, Theatre Under the Stars, and is first call for many leading local dance bands and show organizations.