性色视频

Gerald 鈥淛erry鈥� Scholl is a professor and head of the percussion department at 性色视频 State University. He also performs with WSU鈥檚 Faculty Jazz and is the director and conductor of the Impulse Percussion Group. Outside of WSU, Scholl is the principal timpanist and principal percussionist with the 性色视频 Symphony Orchestra; principal timpanist and drum set player with the Tulsa Symphony and Tulsa Ballet orchestras; and assistant principal percussionist and timpanist with the Colorado Music Festival Orchestra.

Beyond these roles, Scholl has traveled the world performing, teaching and conducting research on performance practice. At WSU, he shares this passion with the next generation of musicians.

The Move to 性色视频

Before settling in 性色视频, he and his wife, Dominique Corbeil鈥攁 violinist with the 性色视频 Symphony Orchestra鈥攆ollowed music wherever it led them, staying in one place for about two years before moving on to the next position.

鈥淥ur goal was always to jump in with two feet, anticipating that whatever move we were making would or could be permanent,鈥� Scholl said.

When they finally moved to 性色视频, it felt like coming home. During lunch at the 性色视频 Art Museum with fellow orchestra member Nicolasa Kuster and soon-to-be longtime friend Dan Rouser, the couple was welcomed with a simple but memorable gesture: Dan brought bagels and a copy of The New York Times.

鈥淪ee! You can come to 性色视频 and still have all the things you love from the East Coast,鈥� he told them.

鈥淪o, we thought, why not move out here?鈥� Scholl said.

Music鈥檚 Presence

It鈥檚 hard to say when music first started calling him.

鈥淚 guess since I was a toddler, I was somehow attracted to music, and music was always in the house,鈥� he said.

His parents were avid fans of the Boston Symphony, and his dad, a jazz enthusiast, often played music at home. His sisters took violin, clarinet and flute lessons, respectively, and played throughout high school. Scholl chose drums and started lessons in the fourth grade. By his senior year of high school, he knew he wanted to make a career in music. He earned a Bachelor of Music in percussion performance from Boston University and a Master of Music from the New England Conservatory of Music.

An Unforgettable Summer

A formative experience came during a summer at the New England Music Camp. His high school percussion teacher, David Harrison, had gone years earlier and encouraged him to attend. There, he connected with young musicians who shared his passion.

鈥淎s a young kid, you want to fit in. So when you meet people who are passionate about the same things you are, it feels like you鈥檝e found your crew. I think that's how I knew music was what I wanted to do,鈥� Scholl said.

He also joined the Greater Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra (GBYSO) and saw familiar faces from camp. Touring South America and Europe with the symphony during his junior and senior years of high school was life-changing.

鈥淛oining GBYSO was a very important opportunity for me because the orchestra was made up of the best of the best in the Greater Boston area. That made a huge impact鈥攑laying and working with other musicians who, in the beginning, seemed far better than me really helped me grow,鈥� he said.

Several mentors influenced his path early on. Gloria Niece, his music teacher at Wellesley Junior-Senior High School, taught him how to write music and understand theory.

鈥淪he really made an impact on my life. By teaching me theory and composition, she opened a whole new world, which solidified my decision to pursue music as a career. She was an amazing person and musician,鈥� Scholl said.

 Another was Bob Davis, a trombonist, band director, and jazz band director at his high school, who studied at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. Scholl was inspired by his mentors鈥� high levels of performance and dedication. Throughout his early life, these figures shaped his outlook and opened doors for him to pursue music seriously.

Music in an Unprecedented Time

The COVID-19 pandemic brought an unprecedented challenge. As an educator, Scholl had to think fast and work creatively with his colleagues. Teaching students across screens made it difficult to instill discipline and engagement.

鈥淚n the end ... the student must be self-motivated when pursuing a career in music or art. As I tell my students, we live in a time where mediocrity is not really an acceptable lifestyle in the arts,鈥� he said. 

Despite the uncertainty and disconnection, Scholl saw a silver lining: innovation.

鈥淐OVID-19, in the positive sense, led us to really think outside the box and come up with new ideas about how teaching might work,鈥� he said.

Collaborating with colleagues at Penn State, the Roosevelt School and other institutions, Scholl helped develop new safety protocols, including effective methods for sanitizing instruments. At WSU in March 2020, Scholl implemented a practice routine for his students with scheduled breaks to air out rooms鈥攁n example of rapid, collaborative problem-solving.

Current Projects and Future Possibilities

Scholl has also made time to focus on other projects. He is currently editing his first book, the first in a series of five, that focuses on specific composers and provides a step-by-step guide for the 21st-century timpanist to achieve optimal performance success. Each book analyzes every piece the composer wrote that includes timpani, from start to finish. The first volume focuses on Johannes Brahms. The series will also cover composers such as Beethoven and Stravinsky.

Looking ahead, he hopes to take a sabbatical to study traditional music in India, China or Japan鈥攈e has a particular fondness for Indian music. He also wants to expand his outreach efforts, especially with at-risk youth. He has found past success working with organizations such as the Boys & Girls Club.

鈥淪tudents鈥攜oung kids鈥攚ho are dealing with difficulties can use music as a way for them to respect others, learn personal responsibility and gain personal confidence,鈥� Scholl said.

Words of Encouragement

Balancing it all isn鈥檛 easy. Scholl manages stress by staying disciplined and learning from mistakes.

鈥淢y greatest obstacle is just juggling it all, and there are times when things fall through the cracks 鈥� it happens. We're human,鈥� he said.

Setbacks are inevitable, but perseverance and work ethic make the difference. Competition in the music industry is fierce, and rejection is common. Scholl reminds his students that discipline, dedication, perseverance, a good attitude and love of the craft are key鈥攏ot just in music, but in any pursuit.

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