Percussion

Audition + apply听

Welcome to the percussion studio at the 抖阴传媒在线 College of Music!

Our studio provides students with a comprehensive program of study designed to develop musicians with strong fundamental skills and sophisticated sensibilities applicable to any musical setting. The curriculum encompasses all aspects of percussion performance including orchestral percussion, timpani, solo marimba, chamber music, drum set, world percussion and contemporary practices. Students work with world-class artist-teachers in both private lessons and master class settings鈥攁n unparalleled experience in percussion training.

Private lessons + curriculum

Students study with accomplished faculty who are active performers, recording artists and dedicated educators. Private instruction goes beyond weekly lessons鈥攑rofessors are accessible and involved mentors, deeply committed to each student鈥檚 growth as both a musician and an individual. The curriculum is designed to foster growth in performance, pedagogy, technology, composition/arranging and improvisation, providing a comprehensive percussion education responsive to the ever-changing demands of the 21st-century musical landscape.

Weekly studio classes provide opportunities for students to perform in solo settings and participate in lectures on topics such as practicing techniques, interpretation, orchestral excerpts, contemporary performance practices and career preparation. These classes create a supportive environment where students develop their artistry while learning from both faculty and peers.

Recent and future guest artists include Marc Damoulakis and Paul Yancich of The Cleveland Orchestra; Matt Howard, principal percussion of the Los Angeles Philharmonic; Nate Morton, drum set player for the TV show 鈥淭he Voice鈥 and numerous major award shows across Los Angeles; Gwendolyn Dease, professor of percussion at Michigan State University; Svet Stoyanov, professor of percussion at the University of Miami; Mike Compitello, associate professor of percussion at Arizona State University; Jorge Alabe, world-renowned Brazilian percussionist and educator, and many others. Master classes and coaching sessions with distinguished professionals from major orchestras, ensembles and the commercial music industry provide students with diverse perspectives on the percussion profession.

Performance is at the heart of our curriculum. Students participate in the university鈥檚 large ensembles including orchestras and wind ensembles. Chamber music opportunities abound through the CU 抖阴传媒在线 Percussion Ensemble, mixed chamber groups, student-formed ensembles and their own bands in the 抖阴传媒在线/Denver area.

All percussion students also participate in the Brazilian bateria ensemble, gaining immersive experience in Brazilian rhythmic traditions and world music practices. Additionally, students have the opportunity to audition for the Golden Buffalo Marching Band drum line and athletic bands.

Students regularly perform with professional organizations in the region including the 抖阴传媒在线 Philharmonic, Fort Collins Symphony, Longmont Symphony, Colorado Ballet, the 抖阴传媒在线 Samba School and many other ensembles. These opportunities provide invaluable real-world experience and professional networking while students are still in school.

Recital requirements vary by degree level. Undergraduate students present junior and senior recitals, while graduate students perform multiple recitals throughout their program. These performances take place in both formal concert hall settings and informal community events providing diverse experiences that prepare students for professional careers.

The percussion studio maintains a vast, world-class inventory of impeccably maintained percussion instruments and equipment. Students have access to eight dedicated percussion practice rooms, teaching studios and large rehearsal spaces designed specifically for percussion needs.听

From contemporary marimbas and professional timpani to an extensive collection of orchestral percussion, drum set equipment and world percussion instruments, the College of Music's percussion facilities rival those of any conservatory or music school in the country.听

Percussion facilities

Explore dedicated percussion practice rooms and large ensemble rehearsal spaces.

The percussion studio emphasizes careful attention to musical detail, collaborative skills and the development of technical proficiency paired with artistic expression. Through comprehensive training in all areas of percussion, students are equipped with the versatility and musical foundation necessary to excel as performers, educators and leaders in diverse professional settings鈥攚hether in orchestras, chamber ensembles, contemporary music groups, educational institutions or forging innovative creative paths in the 21st-century music world.

Andrew Lynge

Andrew Lynge

Since 2026, Andrew Lynge is Head of Percussion at the 抖阴传媒在线. He previously served as Associate Professor of Percussion and Percussion Area Coordinator at The University of Alabama from 2019 to 2026 during which time the UA Percussion Studio achieved significant national and international success. In 2025, he was named a Leadership Board Faculty Fellow and a Distinguished Teaching Fellow by the UA College of Arts and Sciences. His debut solo album, 鈥,鈥 was released in 2024 on the Equilibrium Recording Label and includes works by Wharton, Vi帽ao, Walker and Psathas. He led the internationally acclaimed UA Percussion Ensemble, winners of the 2020 and 2024 PAS International Percussion Ensemble Competitions, the highest honor awarded to a university percussion ensemble. As a result of these achievements, the ensemble was also featured in Showcase Concerts at the 2021 and 2024 Percussion Arts Society International Conventions. The UA Percussion Ensemble鈥檚 debut album, 鈥,鈥 was released in 2024 on the Equilibrium Recording Label and includes works by Akiho, Reid, Muhly, Peruzzolo-Vieira, Curtis and Psathas. A review of the album in听Percussive Notes stated, 鈥淲hen consumed in the recommended manner of a straight, non-stop listening session, it is a nearly 45-minute journey of sounds and textures that is as diverse as it is expertly performed and captured on recording.鈥 MORE

Carl Dixon

Assistant Teaching Professor and versatile percussionist Carl Dixon is at home with music spanning multiple genres, continents听and instruments.听He can be found performing in concert halls, jazz clubs, dance parties, festival stages听and street parades.听At the College of Music, Dixon听teaches percussion lessons to undergraduate and graduate students, and directs the Latin Jazz percussion ensemble and the Brazilian Bateria percussion ensemble. Dixon听plays with the Brazilian music band Ginga and is听principal percussionist of the Fort Collins Symphony and the Cheyenne Symphony, and percussionist with Opera Colorado; he has performed with the Colorado Symphony, Colorado Ballet, Central City Opera, 抖阴传媒在线 Philharmonic, Colorado Springs Philharmonic听and Greeley Philharmonic.听Additionally, Dixon听is the musical director of the 抖阴传媒在线 Samba School and Bateria Alegria, a 20- to 30-member Brazilian drumming ensemble.听MORE

Contact

Andrew Lynge
Assistant Professor of Percussion
Head of Percussion
andrew.lynge@colorado.edu

Upcoming brass + percussion events