ABOP-in-LA 2024
ABOP’s second annual week-long intensive, May 26-May 31, featured a residency at the Beckmen YOLA Center in Inglewood, California. ABOP was thrilled to partner with YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles) in presenting six days of activities focused on the training and development of ABOP’s Protégés. Music-related activities included professional development workshops (private), master classes, repertoire reading with full orchestra, and ensemble and solo rehearsals that culminated in a final performance by Protégés. All events were open to the public and free.
Activities outside of music are a must when visiting Los Angeles. After morning rehearsals, ABOP spent the afternoons sight-seeing, eating, and shopping in downtown Los Angeles, Hollywood, Inglewood, Venice, and Santa Monica.
Master Classes
Survival Skills for the Working Percussionist
Presented by Professor Ricky Burkhead, ABOP Advisor, Professor of Music and Percussion, University of Mississippi. Professor Burkhead emphasized the knowledge of various styles and working in various musical situations (marching, theater, church, recording, gig band, drum tech, teaching, etc.). Instruments demonstrated: concert snare drum, field drum, congas, claves, cajon, cowbell, drumset, djembe, guiro, maracas, marimba, tambourine, triangle, and marimba.
History of the 40 Drum Rudiments
Presented by Professor Johnny Lee Lane (“Prof Lane”), ABOP Founder, Percussion Instructor, Butler University. Prof demonstrated the original 26 rudiments of drumming and explained how the additional 14 came about to make the “International Drum Rudiments of the Percussive Arts Society.”
GRAMMY MUSEUM
In between the morning rehearsal and evening master class, ABOP took a trip to the Grammy Museum at LA Live in downtown Los Angeles.
Repertoire Reading Session
Learning standard audition repertoire in a practice room by yourself, is only a start. To capture the true essence of an orchestral excerpt, it is extremely helpful to play the work with an orchestra.
ABOP Protégés had the opportunity to play and rehearse selected audition repertoire with a live orchestra, Inner City Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (ICYOLA). Led by ICYOLA’s Founder and Music Director, Charles Dickerson, the musicians played excerpts from: Beethoven Symphony No. 9, Brahms Symphony No. 1, Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4, Tchiakovsky Romeo & Juliet Overture, Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherazade, Dukas Sorcerer’s Apprentice, and Gerhwin Porgy and Bess.
Instruments played in this session included: timpani, bass drum, cymbals, snare drum, tambourine, triangle, glockenspiel, and xylophone.
abop recital
Thank you to our corporate sponsors for their kind and generous support of ABOP and our Protégés: Batterie Music, Black Swamp Percussion, Cooperman, Freer Percussion, Innovative Percussion, Majestic Percussion, Malletech, Marimba One, Remo, Sabian, Vic Firth, and Zildjian.