Level I: Percussion Survey - Syllabus
Level II: Intermediate Studies - Syllabus
Levels III & IV: College Preparation - Syllabus
Winds and Brass - Syllabus
The family of percussion instruments is huge, and you need to “live with” each instrument before you can make it sound, play, and feel the way it’s supposed to. Study the major instruments of the percussion family – snare drum, drum set, mallets, and timpani – and some of the minor ones as well – where there are plenty of instruments, the time and space to practice, and high level instruction that moves fast. You can get better at the drum set, become a more skilful member of your school percussion section, prepare for a college audition, or do all three at the Fine Arts Center!
"The technical foundation Dr. Robinson taught me has been a huge reason I have been able to win auditions for musical groups and put out my own drumset instructional video. The Fine Arts Center is a wonderful school. Young artists are very fortunate to have this institution."
Nick Campbell, professional rock drummer, Raleigh, NC
FAC/Berea HS 1991
The word musicianship means a variety of things to different people. Most agree that it concludes a person's ability to read music accurately, to play with good tone quality and intonation, to perform technical passages with accuracy and finesse, etc. All of these are important, but the essence of musicianship is one's sensitivity to the expressive qualities of music, to the nuances of phrasing, interpretation and style – in brief, all of those elements which make musical performance an art as well as a skill. At the Fine Arts Center, musicians enrolled in Winds & Brass Class explore adventurous performance etudes, study solo repertoire, and perform chamber music arranged specifically for members of the class ensemble. Musicians look deep into the music – and deeply into themselves – to discover the meaning and the art of music.
"Some of my finest percussionists have come from the studio of Dr. Robinson at the Greenville County Fine Arts Center. These students consistently exhibit a high level of musicianship which is undoubtedly a product of good teaching and exposure to the numerous professional musicians brought to the school for workshops and concerts."
Dr. John Beckford, Professor or Percussion, Furman University
Greenville County Youth Orchestra: the School District's student symphony orchestra. It's made up of the finest musicians in the Upstate, and performs the most exciting orchestral literature in beautiful performance venues. And members receive honors-level credit for their participation! The orchestra's 60 members represent many of the high schools in the district, as well as other public and private schools from across South Carolina's Upstate. Musicians interested in GCYO must pass a rigorous audition to attain membership, and must continually meet the challenges presented by professional-level orchestral literature to remain members. Membership is open to highly qualified winds, brass, percussion, and string players.
The Greenville Fine Arts Center has long been a strong, thoroughly comprehensive music program which builds high level musical skills in those students fortunate enough to study with the first-rate faculty employed there. Many of my students from Greenville County have grown dramatically in their musical understanding through their studies at the Fine Arts Center.
Dr. Clifford Leaman, Professor of Saxophone, University of South Carolina
