Head of the Percussion Program at Rutgers University, Joseph Tompkins is also an Adjunct Professor at the Mannes College of Music, and has presented masterclasses throughout the United States and across Europe. Professor Tompkins’ compositions for snare drum are internationally recognized, and he has been commissioned to compose works for the percussion sections of the New York Philharmonic, the Cleveland Orchestra, and the Atlanta Symphony.
For seven years he was a member of the percussion trio, Timetable, and has performed with the New York Philharmonic, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, the New York City Ballet Orchestra, and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, to name but a few. In addition, Professor Tompkins has performed in 26 Broadway productions, as well as on several soundtracks for major motion pictures.
When did you begin studying music?
I began studying the piano at age six. I stopped at the age of 10 when I began my percussion studies.
What made you choose percussion?
I went to a concert at West Virginia University (I grew up in Morgantown, and my Father worked in the WVU Department of Engineering) and saw the percussionists running around in the back. It caught my eye and ear, and I asked my Mom if I could take lessons.
Who were your primary teachers?
My teachers were based at West Virginia University: Phil Faini (who ran the program), Dave Satterfield (who was a Graduate Assistant at the time), and Jim Maruca (a wonderful drum set player who was in the WVU Graduate program).
When did you decide to pursue a career in music?
I believe it was my mid-sophomore year of college. I was a double major at the Eastman School of Music and the University of Rochester (Political Science). It became clear during my second year that music was my passion.
Did you have a specific goal?
I didn’t really have a specific goal. I prepared intensively for orchestral auditions my junior and senior years of college, but I also enjoyed playing drum set, and was in various jazz ensembles. Anything musical was fair game.
Do you focus on a specific area of percussion?
Much of my performance career is orchestrally based, but some is commercial: either Latin percussion and/or drum set.
Who impacted your musical growth the most?
I had a very supportive musical network from a young age. My parents were very encouraging about my music making. I had wonderful private teachers at West Virginia University who let me participate in university activities as well as practice at their facilities. In addition, the public schools in my area had great band programs, both wind ensemble and jazz bands.
What teaching positions have you held?
I’ve been the Head of the Percussion Program at Rutgers University since 2008, and an Adjunct Professor at the Mannes College of Music since 2009.
What percussionists have inspired you the most?
Chris Lamb has been my teacher and mentor for most of my musical life. In my opinion, Chris is the best orchestral percussionist to walk the Earth. He has great ears and knows what works in a performance situation. I’ve always been inspired by Steve Gadd for this great groove and spirit. I’ve got a long list of people and players that I’ve met in New York that have made me a better musician: Jim Baker, Marc Damoulakis, Jim Saporito, Pablo Rieppi, Rolando Morales, Dan Druckman, Markus Rhoten, Kyle Zerna, and Dave Mancuso – the list could go on and on!
Is there a specific genre you enjoy performing most?
To be honest, I enjoy playing wherever I am performing at the moment. It could be a very casual gig, or something bigger, but as long as I am playing music with other people, I am having fun.
What composers do you identify with?
Classically, I enjoy performing Prokofiev, Bartok, and Strauss. They have a distinctive style, both in terms of orchestration and uses of percussion.
Do you get nervous before you play?
I think it depends on the situation. There are times when I’m more nervous riding the subway in New York than I am onstage. But if you put me in a new situation, let’s say playing as a soloist, I’m quite sure I’d be more nervous. I think we all get used to patterns with our performing that help us deal with adrenaline. I will say that I feel less anxious performing now than before Covid. I think that might be because I’m so grateful to be back onstage that nerves are now less of a factor.
Do you ever make a mistake while performing?
Yes. I remember being with the great John Wyre as a student at Tanglewood and he said, I like to make a mistake early in the performance so I can get it out of the way. That may sound funny, but it actually sends your brain all of the right signals: first, you are human, and second, be present. Usually our ego is the thing that gets in our way. If we can shelve that, mistakes won’t dominate the thought process.
Has your practice regimen changed from when you were a student?
It has. I believe I wasted quite a bit of time as a student. I practiced 8 – 10 hours daily when I was at Eastman. I could have become just as good (or better) with a more focused and balanced routine. First, be healthy. That means balance work and play. Second, understand the essential core elements that will guide your music making and take a long term approach to their development. For me that means: Time, Sound, and what I call CAS (Color, Articulation, and Shape). I can give you a good example of how I am trying to keep my technique fresh. When I was 42 years old I had my friend Stefon Harris come to Rutgers to teach our students keyboard improvisation in a 10 session seminar. After attending those sessions I realized I was at an inflection point. I needed something to inspire my study of keyboard percussion. Stefon offered that opportunity, and I have been studying his system (Melodic Progression) and various approaches to keyboard improvisation since then. I play piano about an hour a day. I use the app i-Real Pro to teach and practice. It has made me feel like a kid again with the study of harmony and my level of expression. Make no mistake – you will not be seeing me at the Village Vanguard (unless I’m in the audience), but it’s all part of my journey now.
How do you define a good musician and a good teacher?
A good musician is empathetic with his or her audience, and wants to express him/herself in a way that connects with people and transforms their lives. A good teacher has the responsibility to help his/her students reach their maximum personal potential. Sometimes this can be uncomfortable for some teachers because it might highlight subject matter that they are not familiar with. But the teacher has the obligation to meet students where they are and support them in their personal journey. I hope that my outlook is more mature than when I was a student.
Do you think that performing and teaching are intrinsically intertwined?
I could not teach if I didn’t perform. I need to perform like a fish needs water. Teaching makes me a better performer, because it requires me to crystallize the essential elements of performance and discuss them coherently. Inevitably I play better after deliberating over how to teach certain repertoire.
Has teaching made you a better musician?
Yes. Over the past 16 years of teaching I’ve had to come to certain conclusions about how to approach our core percussion repertoire, and how to communicate with students a workable method. You realize when you are onstage that some classroom approaches are abstract and not practical (for whatever reason). You can take that back into the classroom and refine your teaching. Conversely, teaching forces you to articulate essential elements and techniques that the music requires.
What usually inspires you to compose?
I like music that swings. I tend to compose music for non-pitched percussion (mainly snare drum). I prefer to explore styles that push my understanding of swing through their rhythmic complexity (the French military drumming tradition being one example). Composing is an outlet for my creative expression.
How do you feel when your work is interpreted differently than you intended?
As long as it grooves, I am open to a variety of interpretations.
Knowing what you know today, would you change how you prepared for your career?
My career has not been a straight line. That’s a scary prospect, because we all prefer certainty and security in our lives. I won a Principal Percussion spot with an orchestra in Spain right out of graduate school, but I quit after a year and decided to come back to New York to freelance. I formed a new music trio that commissioned dozens of new works for percussion. I played on Broadway. I did struggle financially for a few years, but I wanted to learn about all of these non-orchestral genres that I hadn’t been involved with to that point. I would say that approach paid off in the long term. I see great advantages to the more circuitous approach. I’ve met many wonderful people (on Broadway, in various orchestras, at Rutgers, and Mannes) and I have learned from all of them in a variety of musical settings.
What words of wisdom would you like to share with students?
If you love music then follow your dream and it will work out. If you can imagine doing something else, then that might be a better option. I’ve played in subway stations, hospital wards, homeless shelters, and at Carnegie Hall – in my mind there is no difference, as long as I am making music!
