Professor of Snare Drum and Drum Set at Grand Canyon University, Steve Fitch holds the position of Associate Principal Timpanist, Percussion, and Drum Set with The Phoenix Symphony Orchestra (PSO). Mr. Fitch earned a Bachelor’s of Music degree in percussion performance under the tutelage of Michael Rosen at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. While at Oberlin, He was a soloist with the Oberlin Chamber Orchestra, the Oberlin Wind Ensemble, the Oberlin Percussion Group; won the school’s concerto competition performing Robert Kurka’s Concerto for Marimba and Orchestra; and was inducted into the honorary music fraternity, Pi Kappa Lambda.
Following Oberlin, Mr. Fitch attended the Eastman School of Music. There he served as a graduate teaching assistant (TA) and obtained a Master of Music degree while studying with John Beck. As a TA, he taught undergraduate percussionists, conducted the Eastman Chamber Percussion Ensemble, played extra with the Rochester Philharmonic, and went to Europe with the Eastman Philharmonia.
Distinguishing himself as a drum set artist, he was asked to perform Harold Farbermann’s Concerto for Jazz Drummer and Symphony Orchestra with the PSO. Moreover, he was invited to play drum set with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and the Utah Symphony. And in 2009, Mr. Fitch joined the Arizona Musicfest Festival Orchestra as its Principal Percussionist. He also plays drum set with these Phoenix area big bands: The Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, The Extreme Decibel Big Band, and the GCC Night band.
During a two year sabbatical from the PSO, Mr. Fitch lived in Germany and co-founded the Kalamazoo Percussion Trio with German percussionists Heiko Schaefer and Marcus Linke. This trio engagement brought him back to Germany for 12 summers following his sabbatical, during which time he toured and recorded a CD with the trio; and toured Europe twice with the North German Radio Orchestra (Hannover), performing with such artists as: Al Jarreau and Patricia Kaas; and has been a regular guest with the Radio Philharmonie Hannover des NDR, and the Hannover Pops Orchestra. From 1999 to 2005, Mr. Fitch served on the faculty of the Festival of Young Artists in Bayreuth, Germany, where he taught talented college-age students from all over the world and developed his workshop: Ultimate Stick Control — Intuitive Touch.
In addition to being an artist with Grover Pro Percussion, Vic Firth, and Zildjian, Mr. Fitch’s compositions for solo marimba, percussion trio, and multiple percussion solo, are published by C. Alan Publications; and his piece for solo timpani with multiple percussion is published by Zimmerman Music Publishers in Frankfurt, Germany. He is also the author of two books for drum set: Fantastic Feet–Stepping Outside The Box, published by Mel Bay Publications, and Fantastic Feet 2–The Footnotes.
When did you begin studying music?
I began studying music at the age of 10-taking private lessons with two wonderful teachers in Kennewick Washington: Tim Martin and John Norton. What precipitated my studies was the invitation of my older brother Sam to drum in his newly formed rock band. I joined my grade school concert band in the 6th grade, wonderfully conducted by Mr. Nelson.
Did you always study percussion?
I only studied percussion. I was lucky enough to join the local drum and bugle corps,The Columbians, when I was in the 7th grade, working with caption head, Dave Roberts. That experience really entrenched me into modern rudimental drumming. I just loved drum corps. Where else can you drum all day?
What made you choose percussion?
I chose percussion principally by accident. My brother Sam needed a drummer for his rock band and said, Steve, you’re going to play drums. I kid him today, saying, Sam, my whole career and life in music is YOUR fault! As if he had led me down a path of sin and corruption.
Who were your primary teachers?
My primary teachers at the collegiate level were Professor Michael Rosen at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, who just retired after 50 years of miraculous teaching there, and Professor John H. Beck at the Eastman School of Music. I hold a bachelor’s degree in performance percussion from Oberlin and a master’s degree in percussion performance and literature from Eastman.
When did you decide to pursue a career in music?
I decided to pursue a career in music my senior year in high school. By then, I had many wonderful experiences musically working with my high school band directors in Michigan (Arnold Loesser) and in Pennsylvania (C. Dean Streator). They got me into solo, ensemble, and All State festivals; the Carnegie Mellon Honor Band; and the Mid East Festival. I can’t help but mention how pivotal and life changing it was for me to join the drum corps with the Royal Crusaders from Finleyville, Pennsylvania, run by Gary Inks. I auditioned on snare and was accepted! This was my sophomore year in high school. My family moved around quite a bit, and each time we did, my musical life benefited from it. The Royal Crusaders were quite competitive. We were State Champions and in 1975; we made it into the top 12 DCI finalist corps, placing 7th in prelims (tied for third in drums), and with a finals placement of 9th. Our incredible percussion caption head was Michael Kumer.
Did you have a specific goal?
My percussion goals became clearer and clearer as I progressed through college. I decided that I wanted to perform principally and teach secondarily. Being able to hear my teacher John Beck play timpani with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra every week while I was at Eastman solidified my desire to win an orchestral job. Upon graduating with my master’s I participated in five orchestra auditions, winning my fifth with the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra.
Do you focus on a specific area of percussion?
I tend to focus on snare drum dexterity, which helps me a lot with my drum set playing, timpani and multiple percussion work. I have always focused on snare drum, as I feel it is at the core of everything we do as percussionists. I have said many times that great snare drummers win the symphony auditions because you just can’t fake snare drum technique.
Who impacted your musical growth the most?
I would say it was: Buddy Rich, Fred Sanford, Jim Chapin, Michael Rosen, and John Beck (especially watching him play timpani with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra).
What teaching positions have you held?
I have taught privately since I was in the 7th grade. I was a player/coach with the Royal Crusaders in my final year with them in the summer after my senior year in high school. I held a graduate teaching assistantship working under John Beak at Eastman, teaching and conducting undergrads for two years. Right out of graduate school I taught both private lessons and drumlines at the junior and senior high schools in Midland, Texas. I also taught at Midland College. While I was living in Germany during the summers from 1999 – 2005, I taught with my percussion trio partners: the Kalamazoo Percussion Trio, at the Festival of Young Artists in Bayreuth, Germany. Currently I am in my 11th year as professor of snare drum and drum set at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona.
What percussionists have inspired you the most?
This would have to be: Buddy Rich for his monstrous musical and technical gifts, Richard Wiener for his impeccable symphonic percussion expertise; Michael Rosen for being such an amazing pedagogue and incredible marimbist; John Beck for his fantastic timpani work and for coaching so many of today’s top performers; Jim Chapin for showing us how to learn jazz independence and for steering us all towards the Moeller technique; and Joe Morello for his stellar drum set work and his Master Studies books.
Is there a specific genre you enjoy performing the most?
Even with a career in orchestral music which now spans 43 years and counting, the genre I most like playing is jazz for its freedom, interactivity, composition in the moment, and joy! You can’t get nervous when playing jazz, because you don’t know what you’re going to play until you play it! Your band mates don’t know either. But honestly, the ability to play both classical AND jazz has made me a very happy camper. The one beautifully informs the other.
What composers do you identify with?
The composers that I most identify with are: Beethoven, for his tortured soul, sturm und drang, and his awe inspiringly uplifting, transformative compositions; John Williams, for music that transcends film, and his great percussion writing; Brahms for his thick harmonies and hemiolas; and Mason Bates, for bringing young people back into the concert hall with his wonderful creativity.
Do you get nervous before you play?
After so many years of performing, I no longer feel nervous before I play.
Do you ever make a mistake while performing?
Mistakes are inevitable, unless you’re not human. If you’re trying your best, you should never chastise yourself for making the occasional mistake. If you make a lot of mistakes, you probably chose the wrong profession! Or at the very least, you didn’t prepare enough. When I make a mistake, I try to immediately analyze what I did wrong (skip a line? miscount? etc.) As soon as I identify what I did wrong, I file it away and then I forget it so that I can concentrate on what I’m doing at the moment. If you dwell on the mistake, you are distracted and you’ll probably make more!
Has your practice regimen changed from when you were a student?
Yes it has. With my duties at the symphony lying principally on cymbals, toys, snare drum, timpani, and drum set, I am able to stay technically fit by working out of the snare drum dexterity books that I have written: Fantastic Hands, Flam Pathways to Drumming Fluency. Both are available at Amazon, and my new books, Fitch Twisters Volumes 1 – 4, which are self-published.
How do you define a good musician and a good teacher?
A good musician will always try to play better today than he did yesterday; constantly improving over the decades. Your last day playing should be your best! A great teacher motivates through encouragement and honesty, and by setting a good example by playing great when he demonstrates something for the student. I also feel that the teacher should impart not just positive news about the music industry, but also about the challenges that every student wanting a career in music will inevitably face. I probably didn’t think too much about that last bit in my student years, but I sure do now.
Do you think that performing and teaching are intrinsically intertwined?
I do think that performing and teaching are intrinsically intertwined. When teaching, one must somehow put into words things that we do not think about verbally while we’re performing. This clarifies things for both the student and the teacher. What students typically lack is something the teacher more than likely has: namely experience. Without performing experience, it would be very hard to teach well. Experience allows the teacher to impart tips and advice that can help the student move forward. I also feel that students can learn A LOT about performing by attending performances given by their teacher. I know I certainly did by watching my teachers Mike Rosen and John Beck perform.
Has teaching made you a better musician?
Teaching has made me a better musician principally by allowing me to write books that help percussion students improve, and I work out of these books all the time. Something that is very gratifying to a professional musician, who teaches, is to see the young people of today being passionate about what the performer/teacher has spent a great deal of their life doing. It’s very affirming! These students are the fantastic performers/teachers of tomorrow.
Knowing what you know today, would you change how you prepared for your career?
Sometimes it’s best NOT to know certain things during your student days that you eventually come to learn as a professional musician. Here’s an example: if I knew as a student at Oberlin and Eastman just how HARD it is to win an orchestral position, I might have taken another path. Because I DIDN’T know this, I just pushed on into the audition circuit with youthful tunnel vision. This helped me to actually win my job.
What words of wisdom would you like to share with students?
I would like to start by sharing words of wisdom that Peter Erskine shared with me while he was performing with the PSO and Mary Chapin Carpenter. Try not to ever take anything personally. As well as Buster Bailey who when asked what advice he would give young performers, Always do your best.
I would just say, life is long and forgiving, and it’s full of second chances, not just musically. He, who drums most, wins. Be patient with your progress. It will come, and it will never stop coming until you stop trying. This is the beauty of music: in sports and with athletic ability, one has a limited shelf life, not so with music. Do not be afraid of sounding bad when you practice. Embrace difficult things because they are only hard until you can do them. Always try to be better than you were the last time you played. Don’t worry about anyone else. Always make new mistakes, and don’t keep repeating old ones. Lastly, continually surprise yourself with who you’re becoming.
