Dr. James L. Moore

Recipient of the prestigious Percussive Arts Society’s (PAS) LifeTime Achievement Award in Education, Dr. James L. Moore was born on May 2, 1934, and died on June 12, 2014.  Raised in Jackson, Michigan, he began his musical studies in the Jackson Public School Music Program, and it was at the University of Michigan where he obtained his Bachelor (1956), and Master (1957) Degrees in Music Education.  In 1970, he attended The Ohio State University (OSU) earning the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Music Theory. Furthermore, he was awarded honorary memberships to Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma; and was the recipient of the OSU Marching Band’s “Most Inspirational Band Person Award.”

From 1957 – 1960, Dr. Moore was an instructor of percussion at the Armed Forces School of Music in Washington, D.C; and from 1960 – 1964 he was a member of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra while also teaching percussion at Butler University. In 1964 he returned to OSU, this time as a faculty member, having been appointed the head of its percussion studies program, and held that position until 1992; and from 1981 – 2004 he was the percussion instructor for the OSU Marching Band. Dr. Moore served as Principal Percussionist with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra; and was a founding member of The Brass Band of Columbus, which won first place in the championship division of the North American Brass Association Competition ten times. In addition, he taught at the National Music Camp at Interlochen, Michigan, the International Music Camp at the International Peace Garden, North Dakota/Manitoba, and the OSU Marimba-Vibe Camp that he founded and directed for 13 years. 

Dr. Moore founded Percussive Notes Magazine, the official publication of PAS, and served as its editor from 1962 -1980. In 1976, he founded Per-Mus Publications, LLC. which continues to specialize in publishing music for percussion, and is now owned by his colleague and former student, Dr. Cary Dachtyl. His compositions and arrangements have been published by Per-Mus Publications, Kendor Music, and Ludwig Music Publishing Company. He also served as a consultant and clinician for the Musser Division of Ludwig Industries, and for the Hal Leonard Publishing Company. When he was away from his home in Ohio, he resided in Estero, Florida, where he continued to be an active performer and clinician, frequently appearing with the Naples Concert Band, the Naples Opera Orchestra, and the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra.

Below is an interview I conducted with Dr. Moore for my CD/ebook, Music For Percussion which was released by Mark Records.  Unfortunately, he passed only a couple years after this interview.  But, I can say without equivocation, that it was a privilege to get to know him, and for that, I am grateful.  

When did you begin studying music?

I believe I was about seven years old when my uncle, for some reason, thought it would be nice to give me a drum for a present (ca. 1941). At that time, at least in the public schools of Jackson, Michigan, instrumental music as a school subject was not taught in the elementary schools, however they allowed independent private teachers to come into the schools to give individual music lessons on a pay per lesson basis. Thus, my first teacher was a fine gentleman that one could say was a jack of all trades, teaching any instrument to any student that wanted instruction. So with my snare drum and a foot pedal bass drum as I recall, I would play away as he accompanied me on the piano. Thinking back on this, it really was a rather good way of establishing rhythmic and musical feel. My first instruction book was, The Universal Teacher, by J. Maddy & T. Giddings, a book that  presented the drum part and a melody line together. Wow, it took us percussion educators decades to figure out that this approach to percussion learning was a good way to go!

Did you always study percussion?

No, I did not always study percussion. Just a few years later in junior high school, I got the idea that I wanted to be a trumpet player. So after cajoling my parents a bit, I started trumpet lessons. From then on through my high school years I played drums, trumpet, and french horn in the school bands (concert & jazz) and orchestra with varying degrees of proficiency.

When did you decide to make music your career?

Although playing in my school bands and orchestra was a big part of my life all the way through high school, I’m not sure that you could say that I had decided to make music my career. Wanting to be a golf pro, or an engineer were probably as appealing career choices as music was to me at that time. When I entered the University of Michigan (UM) in 1952, a music major curriculum seemed a good choice, although I probably didn’t really realize what I was getting into. So it was during my early years at the UM that my commitment to music as a career began to take shape.

Did you have a specific goal: teach, perform, compose, etc.?

My Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees were both in music education (UM ’56 & ‘57) studies which prepared me well to be a high school band director, as was my plan at that time. However, as I completed my master’s degree it was becoming apparent that my interests, and hopefully skills, were tending more toward percussion performance and upper level percussion teaching rather than leading a school band. Following college, I had the good fortune to fulfill my three years of military service as a faculty member of the Armed Forces School of Music in Washington, D.C.; an assignment where I had the opportunity to teach a large number of fine percussion students who had been accepted into the military music program.  This was along with doing a great deal of performing with the faculty band of the school, and with other chamber groups in the D.C. area. The experience was very beneficial in my development as a percussion player/teacher. Then following military service I was fortunate to obtain a playing position as a percussionist with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, and as an adjunct faculty member at Butler University. I think these experiences were central in starting me on the path that I have taken in my professional career. In addition to teaching and performing, I have also had from an early age an interest in composing and arranging music, much of it for percussion instruments. My interest in composing, arranging, and disseminating percussion music throughout my career would in part explain my founding Per-Mus Publications (1976), a small percussion publishing company that continues to be a part of my work to the present.

Do you focus on a specific area of percussion?

While I would like to think of myself, and I have tried to be, a well rounded percussionist with teaching and playing ability on most aspects of percussion, I definitely have areas of percussion that I enjoy most, and hopefully have contributed somewhat to their development. These are: 1) Mallet percussion playing and teaching, 2) mallet ensemble literature, and 3) concert/rudimental snare drum literature. Going back briefly to my college years, I entered an undergraduate program in music at the UM with what today would be some rather deficient skills, especially in the mallet playing area. My first college teacher of percussion was Milton Harris, who was an excellent timpanist and snare drummer with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, but by his own admission, not much of a mallet keyboard player. Then midway through my years of study at the UM, a new full time percussion teacher was hired, James D. Salmon. His background included work as a teacher at the then well known Roy Knapp School of Percussion in Chicago, membership in, and study with, Clair O. Musser and his marimba orchestras, and performance years with U.S. Navy Bands and Orchestras. Jim’s teaching, inspiration, and friendship really ignited my interest in playing mallets. Through his example, I became very immersed in all aspects of mallet percussion: solos, ensembles, four mallet playing (in the Musser style, the forerunner of the current Stevens style).

Which teachers and/or colleagues impacted your musical growth the most?

An adequate answer to this question requires that I mention not only percussion teachers, but a number of other teachers, conductors, and colleagues that I have had the good fortune to learn from, and interact with. Harold Jester, my very first drum teacher when I was very young and just starting out.  Stanley Shoemaker, my high school band and orchestra director.  George Cripps, my high school music theory and choir teacher. Milton Harris, timpanist, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and my first college percussion teacher at the UM (2 years). James D. Salmon, my second undergraduate and graduate percussion teacher at the UM (3 years). Dr. William D. Revelli, director of bands at the UM, and through my college and professional career I have never played under a more demanding conductor.  His quest for perfection inspired and put the Fear of God into each one of us! George Cavender, assistant director of bands at the UM, and Clifford Lillya, professor of trumpet at the UM.  Both guided me away from my ill-founded desire to be a trumpet major in college, and to pursue percussion as my major: one of the best things that happened to me!  Leslie Bassett, my principal music theory teacher at the UM. Elizabeth Green, noted teacher of conducting at the UM who taught me what an ictus is and so very much more! Chief Petty Officer (USN) Frank Forgione, head of the percussion department at the Armed Forces School of Music in Washington, D.C., who upon our first meeting when I reported for duty on his staff said: I don’t care how many college degrees you got, I’ll form my opinion of you when I hear you play! – Welcome to the real world of professional music.  Izler Solomon, conductor of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, whose comment after hearing me play my first pianissimo triangle notes in the orchestra were: I don’t care what dynamic the part says, if I can’t hear it what good is it?  I never played pianissimo again for four years with the ISO, and we lived happily ever after!  Dr. Donald McGinnis, director of bands at the OSU, my boss, colleague, and friend – one of the finest musicians/conductors/teachers I have known. Evan Whallon, long time conductor of the Columbus (Ohio) Symphony Orchestra – the personification of a solid, workmanlike, even tempered orchestral conductor; a rare breed under whom I enjoyed playing for nearly two decades.  Dr. Paul Droste, my OSU School of Music colleague, and director of the Brass Band of Columbus, who guided us to a record ten 1st place awards in the North American Brass Band Association Competitions during my two decades playing percussion in this outstanding organization.  Dr. Jon Woods, director of the OSU Marching Band, and all of the assistant directors and the many percussion section members of the OSUMB who passed through our ranks during my 25 years as percussion instructor with this great organization. Dr. William Poland, music theorist and ex-oboist, and my doctoral degree advisor at OSU who taught me how to think and edit.  Lastly, Dr. Linda Pimentel, my OSU colleague and co-author; a very prolific, perceptive marimbist, pianist, and writer.

Which percussionists have inspired you the most and why?

An answer to this question could go on and on, but below is an eclectic mix of persons, in no particular order, that in one way or another come to mind: Clair O. Musser for his pioneering efforts in marimba building, and marimba ensemble repertoire. Ruth Jeanne for her life long dedication to writing and performing quality marimba ensemble arrangements. Richard J. Richardson, not a percussionist, but president of the Musser Division of Ludwig Industries who listened to us and did something about 1) expanding the range of marimbas downward, and 2) for finding and developing a synthetic material for marimba/xylophone bars. Vida Chenoweth, for setting the early standard of serious solo marimba playing. Gary Burton, for his inspired new direction to vibraphone playing; his talent few of us could ever come close to achieving. Leigh Howard Stevens for expanding the horizons of marimba technique. Frederick Fennell for demonstrating that a drummer could become a great band/orchestra conductor. Spike Jones who I grew up loving the musicianship of, and probably one of the first great (deranged) multiple percussion artists! Gene Krupa, how can anyone of my generation not put him on his/her list, for where would we be without Sing, Sing, Sing? Gordon Peters, who came out of Eastman with his Marimba Masters Ensemble, as well as all of the large number of other fine percussionists that came out of the studios of William Street, and John Beck for so many years. Maurie Lishon, anyone who grew up in the midwest, and didn’t get to visit Frank’s Drum Shop in Chicago, missed a wonderful experience. Haskell Harr, Frank Arsenault, and John S. Pratt; I was fortunate to experience their Rudimental Heritage by having the opportunity to hear all of these men clinic and play.

Is there a specific genre or composer you enjoy performing most?

Orchestral timpani and percussion playing are from a financial standpoint my bread & butter for earnings, and areas that I enjoy. Also my roots have been in the band field: concert bands, marching bands, and in my later years, performance in an excellent British style brass band (yes, brass bands do have very interesting percussion parts). However, relating more specifically to percussion performance, I have endeavored to keep an open mind and keep somewhat abreast to the wealth of original contemporary literature that has proliferated in recent decades for solo marimba. However, I must confess that I still have great interest in, feel there is great value in, and I find pleasure in performing transcriptions of Bach, Mozart, and the many other great composers. I feel that a solid grounding in these composers’ works provides both an excellent technical, and musical basis for the mallet player. Those who exclude this material from their performing and teaching, and use only contemporary and/or original (usually atonal) literature for marimba and vibraphone, are missing an important aspect in their musical development.

What motivated you to begin composing?

First off, I’m flattered to be addressed as a composer, and I acknowledge that particularly early on in my career I did some composing mostly for percussion instruments. But for the most part, I have thought of myself more as an arranger/editor rather than a composer. My teaching/performing/running of Per-Mus Publications, and editorship for 18 years of Percussive Notes magazine, seemed to occupy most of my time and interest.  Thus, I did not do much composing of original material beyond that done rather early in my career. But to answer your question, I would begin by saying that even as a young middle school age student, I can recall writing such things as drum cadences, and having a class in high school music theory, as well as an encouraging highschool band director, were things that sort of got me started. Then in my later high school and early college years, I began to do more of what would be considered composing. To understand my motivating factor, you need to understand that in the era that I grew up in (ca. 1940-50’s) there was a lack of any significant good original literature for percussion instruments. There were arrangements of classical and popular tunes, ragtime solos, etc. but only isolated works for percussion ensemble or chamber ensembles using percussion (i.e. works of John Cage, Lou Harrison, Henry Cowell, etc.), and practically no original works for solo mallets or ensembles. Paul Creston’s Concertino for Marimba dating from the early 1940’s might well be cited as a first groundbreaking example of a composer writing a serious work for solo marimba. With this lack of a significant body of original literature, many of us percussion students/teachers were motivated to begin writing material for our own performance use. A good example of this activity was occurring at the University of Illinois where Paul Price, then percussion teacher there, urged (possibly required) his percussion major students to write original works for percussion. Out of this came pieces by Colgrass, McKenzie, Siwe, Payson, and others that were published by Paul Price Publications, one of the earliest publishers attempting to provide a serious repertoire of music for percussionists to play. From these early beginnings a large body of literature began to emerge throughout the second half of the 20th century into the enormous body of original literature that continues to be written to the present. And more importantly, it has attracted the attention of real composers, and not just percussionists/composers who had both the craftsmanship and inspirational abilities to write significant music.

Have you formally studied composition?

As I mentioned, I had a good high school music theory course, and I took a course or two in arranging at UM, but no, I have never studied composition formally. My doctoral work for the Ph.D. degree in music theory was far afield from what is generally thought of as theory/composition. I was very fortunate to have an advisor and committee that took a very broad view of music theory. My area of specialization was the analysis of the acoustical characteristics of mallet instrument bars. We had significant help from the engineering mechanics and physics departments in our project, which identified the modes of vibration of mallet instrument bars. So did my doctoral work affect my approach to composing/arranging? Only very indirectly, for anything one can do to develop a better understanding of one’s musical instruments certainly does your skills no harm.

Is there a particular composer with whom you identify?

Probably not, but as discussed above, we have now gotten the attention of a number of real composers who hopefully are providing some music of lasting value.  And we, the percussionist /composer, while our efforts are well meaning, and in some cases well done, now have serious composers accepting our medium as one that they can meaningfully write for.

How would you describe your compositional approach?

I am a traditionalist to the extent that I still believe that the three main components of music are: melody, harmony, and rhythm. And while the absence of some of these elements does not forfeit the right for a composition to be deemed musical, I do try to engage these three elements in most of my musical thought.  Atonality, ametric writing, and minimalistic repetition of figures over and over have never appealed much to me as a composer, or as a performer.

Does being a percussionist make it easier to compose for this instrument?

Yes, or at least easier to write in a manner that does not put technical or musical obstacles in the way of the performer due to the composer’s lack of understanding of the playing techniques, capabilities, limitations, etc. of the percussion instruments.

What usually motivates you to compose?

Since nearly all of my composing was done in my earlier years, I think my answer is a desire to increase the availability of repertoire for percussion instruments. However, as an arranger and editor, one can not ignore the financial marketability aspects of what new material might be worthwhile to write, and/or edit for publication.

Has your work as a performer/teacher affected your composing?

Certainly when you teach students, and when you perform solos or in ensembles, you become more aware of what does and doesn’t work well. I think this gives the teacher/performer a perspective that one who only composes for, and doesn’t play or teach that medium can not have. The old saying, it looked good on paper, but didn’t come off too well when live musicians tried to play it, would apply here. Related to this, as an editor of a publishing company I often receive submissions from composers/arrangers sending a score and computer realization of their works. This is OK, but I suggest to them, and really prefer, a recording of a group playing the work, as this is a better indication of its playability even though it might lack the perfection of the computer performance.

How do you choose a work to transcribe?

I listen to a lot of music, especially classical on our local PBS station, particularly as I travel about town in my car. I’m always on the lookout for pieces or movements from larger works that would, in my opinion, transcribe well for mallet instruments. One example, when I first heard Anton Dvorak’s String Quartet in F Major (often referred to as The American Quartet) I immediately thought the final movement of this work would make a great marimba quartet arrangement. I arranged and published this piece, and it is in our Per-Mus catalog; being played by high school and college groups for recitals and competitions. Also, early on when I formed the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra Percussion Trio, we were playing a large number of programs for elementary and secondary school audiences. It was suggested to me that we might play something from the orchestral repertoire that children might enjoy and relate to. In response, I arranged the Aram Khachaturian Sabre Dance for our trio, and later added several additional parts. This arrangement is by far the best selling ensemble arrangement in the Per-Mus catalog.

Has composing made you a better teacher/performer?

I’m sure composing and arranging has made me a better teacher/performer. And obviously when performing or conducting my own compositions or arrangements, I am working with material that I know well from having spent considerable time putting the material together.

Has composing affected your approach as a performer/teacher?

Yes, to the extent that if something I’ve written works out well or hasn’t worked out well. I can try to figure out what I can do as a teacher to better prepare my students to execute the material, or prepare themselves better to perform the material.

What inspired you to start Per-Mus Publications?

As a teacher/performer of percussion, even before I founded Per-Mus Publications, I thought of myself, and still do, as a disseminator of information, rather than as a great percussion performer or composer. I had already been involved in magazine editing, having founded and was serving as editor of Percussive Notes magazine. So in 1976 when Per-Mus Publications was founded, I had already had some experience in the production and business aspects of planning, editing, producing, merchandising, etc. of printed material. This, along with my desire to create mallet literature that was musical and worthwhile to study and/or perform, led to my co-author and I developing The Solo Marimbist Volume 1 and 2 as our first publications; along with several other solo works such as The Suite Moderne by Sharon Smith, written when she was still in high school!

Is there anything in particular one should know about your compositions?

Not really beyond what has already been discussed. Except that I would say that I take, and would encourage others to take, a very broad view on what is considered a fine composition. To me, a beautifully structured eight bar drum cadence, or a well written little piece for a beginner, can be just as much a composition as say a major work for a large performing ensemble. This whole issue of how one evaluates the musical worth of a composition is very subjective, and far beyond my ability to discuss!