Pete's Percussion Podcast - Pete Zambito

Pete's Percussion Podcast: Episode 489 - Mike Vercelli

West Virginia University Director of the School of Music and Director of the World Music Performance Center Mike Vercelli stops by to talk about his work at WVU along with their incredible percussion inventory (03:10), his work navigating the new financial reality for colleges and the importance of developing entrepreneurship in students (18:00), growing up in New Hampshire, his percussion and music background, his unusual lessons background, and playing in rock bands and youth orchestra (29:50), attending UConn for undergrad, his various teachers at the program, and the growth of men’s and women’s college basketball there (38:30), his master’s degree at Bowling Green State (OH) and his first prominent experiences in world percussion, including his first trip to Ghana (45:05), taking time away from school, teaching and freelancing in Ohio and Arizona, heading to the University of Arizona for his doctorate, and his 6 months of study in Ghana (54:05), and finishing with the Random Ass Questions, including segments on the inclusion of world percussion in a western arts curriculum, making hot sauce and spicy foods, travel writer Paul Theroux, New England seafood, bad jobs, wild performance situations, and the Smithsonian African American History Museum (01:19:15).Finishing with a Rave on the 2026 film Project: Hail Mary (01:52:15).Mike Vercelli Links:Mike Vercelli’s WVU pageLearning Gyil - Mike VercelliPrevious Podcast Guests Mentioned:Jason Baker in 2020Alex Weir in 2026Norman Weinberg in 2017Josh Armstrong in 2018Daniel Smithiger in 2017Megan Arns in 2017Other Links:WVU’s World Music pagePhil FainiEllie MannettePaschal YoungeTim PetermanMantle HoodAlexander LepakPeter CoutsouridisRoger SchuppSteven CorneliusAbraham AdzenyahEmmanuel AgbeliGary CookTeaching Percussion - Gary CookJonathan LattaScott ShinbaraErick SaoudLord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring trailerThe Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey trailerCaptain America: The First Avenger trailerOn the Plain of Snakes: A Mexican Journey - Paul TherouxRaves:Project: Hail Mary trailer

Pete's Percussion Podcast: Episode 488 - Jenny Klukken

Minneapolis-based musician, educator, percussionist, recording artist, and visual artist Jenny Klukken stops by to talk about her portfolio career and the challenges of playing marimba in small rooms (04:50), her recording and compositional process, her new album Marimba Standard, and the importance of entrepreneurship in the arts (24:30), growing up in rural Minnesota, her enjoyment of jazz and early country music, Spotify Wrapped, and focusing on listening to albums (43:25), attending the University of Minnesota for undergrad, working through 4-mallet grips, her experiences attending the Zeltsman Marimba Festival, her puppetry career as “Jenny and the Pets”, and combining musical artistry with her visual artistry (01:05:45), and finishing with the Random Ass Questions, including her experiences as a woman in the arts, cooking stories, movies that inspire and/or infuriate, pet names and their backstories, living on a dairy farm, and Pat Metheny (01:35:25).Finishing with a remembrance on the passing of an important living being (02:00:00).Jenny Klukken Links:Jenny Klukken’s websiteJenny Klukken’s new album Marimba StandardPrevious Podcast Guests Mentioned:Fernando Meza in 2020Eri Isomura in 2024Josh Graham in 2025Marco Schirripa in 2022Abby Fisher in 2021Lynn Vartan in 2019Other Links:Steve YeagerEric SammutPete’s Marimba album“Shadows of the Night” - Pat BenatarAngela Myles Beeching“Don’t Fence Me In” - Gene Autry“Crowded Table” - The HighwomenNickel Creek’s NPR Music Tiny Desk ConcertNancy ZeltsmanJack van GeemIvana BilicMaurice’sKatarzyna MyckaKeiko AbeThe Emperor’s New Groove trailerThe Devil Wears Prada trailerThe Little Mermaid trailerRebecca trailerRebecca - Daphne du MaurierJane Eyre - Charlotte BrontëJames - Percival Everett“Kin” - Pat Metheny

Pete's Percussion Podcast: Episode 487 - Jonny Allen

Sandbox Percussion Group member, as well as freelancer, percussionist, and educator Jonny Allen stops by to talk about all things Sandbox Percussion, including the beginnings of the band, member responsibility to each other, and getting to teach (03:20), their work with Andy Akiho on Seven Pillars (29:05), Jonny’s work with the American Modern Opera Company (40:45), growing up in Connecticut, his drumset and marching band beginnings, and his sports background (44:55), going to Eastman (NY) for undergrad and studying with Michael Burritt and John H. Beck (54:00), going to Yale (CT) for grad school and studying with Robert Van Sice (01:06:05), and settles in for the Random Ass Questions, including sections on percussion logistics, problems using Zoom, New Haven pizza, great books and podcasts, New England Patriots Football, and Dutch Minimalism (01:21:30).Finishing with a Rave on the 2026 Oscars Telecast (01:51:00).Jonny Allen links:Jonny’s Sandbox Percussion pageSeven Pillars - Andy AkihoAmerican Modern Opera CompanyPrevious Podcast Guests Mentioned:Victor Caccese in 2019Ian Rosenbaum in 2025David Skidmore in 2025Sean Connors in 2025Peter Martin in 2025Robert Dillon in 2025Todd Meehan in 2017Megan Arns in 2017Other links:NEXUSSo PercussionAmadindaPercussions de StrasbourgRobert van SiceBang on a Can“to wALk Or ruN in wEst harlem” - Andy AkihoTime Travelers percussionMichael McQuilkenMatthew Aucoin“Purple Haze” - Jimi Hendrix ExperienceJohn H. BeckMichael BurrittLeigh Howard StevensSteve GaddYale Percussion Group“Third Construction” - John CageModern ApizzaPepe’s PizzeriaSally’s ApizzaBAR New HavenCatch Me If You Can trailerStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker trailerThe Love Guru trailerHoles - Louis SacharThe Three-Body Problem - Liu CixinPatriots UnfilteredPatriots - Seahawks Super Bowl LXThe Telepathy TapesJacob CollierCinque terre ItalyCanto Ostinato - Simeon Ten HoltRaves:2026 Oscars

Pete's Percussion Podcast: Episode 486 - Fabrice Marandola

McGill University (QB) Percussion Professor and co-founder of the Percussion Group Sixtrum Fabrice Marandola stops by to talk about his job at McGill, his teaching career in France prior to moving to Canada, the nature of entrepreneurship, and supervising the new percussion space at the University (04:05), all things Sixtrum, along with the importance of applying for grants and being a nonprofit (27:10), growing up in central France and an overview of his career (42:30), the city of Paris and its relationship with the rest of the country, as well as his time as a French folk dancer (53:20), his undergrad years at the Superior National Conservatory of France, and his studies in music theory and harmony (01:09:30), his ethnomusicological background and his studies in Cameroon (01:17:50), and stays around for the Random Ass Questions, including discussions of sound production and musical re-creation, working and performing with his spouse, Kristie Ibrahim, great French authors, adventures in food, and inspiring art (01:29:30).Finishing with a Rave on the best films of the 2026 True/False Documentary Film Festival (02:02:40).Fabrice Marandola links:Fabrice’s McGill pageSixtrumPrevious Podcast Guests mentioned:Kristie Ibrahim in 2024Aiyun Huang in 2023Gina Ryan in 2026Megan Arns in 2017Other Links:TorQ Percussion QuartetPercussions de StrasbourgFrederic MacarezJacques Delécluse“Psappha” - Iannis XenakisApocalypse Now trailerRed Grass - Boris VianClaude Levi-StraussVictor HugoDiscourse on the Method - Rene DescartesRaves:True/False 2026

Pete's Percussion Podcast: Episode 485 - Jake Nissly

Principal Percussionist with the San Francisco Symphony and Director of Percussion Studies at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music Jake Nissly stops by to talk about both of his positions, the orchestral auditions process, his mentors, being versatile in many genres of percussion, and his experiences with the Detroit and Cleveland Symphonies (03:30), specifics about the Principal Percussion Duties and the excellence of Davies Symphony Hall (28:30), his teaching position and his recent commissioning projects (35:15), growing up in Iowa, having family in the arts, being a highly motivated young person, making early connections to Northwestern (IL) and percussion versatility (45:50), his undergrad years at Northwestern and studying with Michael Burritt (01:04:10), going to Juilliard (NYC), freelancing in New York, and eventually earning a spot in the New World Symphony (01:14:00), and finishing with the Random Ass Questions, including segments on working with young composers, his personal commitment to physical and mental health and long-distance running all over the world, lots of great books, memorable Chicago Cubs moments in his life, coaching his son’s baseball team, and the excellence of Steve Reich (01:20:15).Finishing with a Rave on the 2026 Oscar Nominated Animated Short Films (01:58:40).Jake Nissly links:Jake’s SFSO pageJake’s SFCM pageJake’s Vic Firth pageJake’s Aspen Music Festival pageLosing Earth - Adam SchoenbergPrevious Podcast Guests Mentioned:Will James in 2017Steven Schick in 2025Patti Niemi in 2018Matthew Coley in 2021Eric Hollenbeck in 2025David Skidmore in 2025Sean Connors in 2025Peter Martin in 2025Robert Dillon in 2025Other Links:Percussion Concerto - Andy AkihoKatherine SiochiRene OrthPEAUX from Pleades - Iannis XenakisDoug PerkinsMichael Tilson Thomas“Suire for Violin and American Gamelan” - Lou HarrisonSan Francisco Symphony MusiciansMichael BurrittPaul WerticoJames RossGregory ZuberDaniel DruckmanRoland KohloffJoseph PetrasekRobert KliegerEric RenickMichael IsraelievitchSergio CarrenoRichard WeinerMarc DamoulakisCalifornia Percussion & Backline RentalsHow to Write for Percussion - Sam SolomonDavies Symphony HallJack van GeemHaruka FujiTito MuñozClair Omar MusserColts Drum & Bugle CorpsWoody SmithMichael Pfaff (“Tortilla Man”)Bill StewartDave Weckl“If I Wanted To” - Melissa Etheridge“Kiss from a Rose” - Seal“Third Construction” - John CageKris KeetonAnnie Stevens“Michi” - Keiko AbeEric GarciaBrett Dietz“Kin” - Pat MethenyThe Usual Suspects trailerGhostbusters trailerGroundhog Dog trailerThe Matrix trailerBarbie trailer1984 - George OrwellOn the Road - Jack KerouacKafka on the Shore - Haruki MarukamiAbsolutely on Music: Conversations on Seiji Ozawa - Haruki MarukamiMusic Has a Right to Children - Boards of CanadaCubs win the World SeriesThe Bartman IncidentB-Bop’sMusic for 18 Musicians - Steve ReichMallet Quartet - Steve ReichDrumming: Part 1 - Steve ReichMusic for Pieces of Wood - Steve ReichClapping Music - Steve ReichRaves:The 2026 Oscars Animated Film Shorts Nominees