#395 Maria Finkelmeier- Percussionist, Educator, Composer and More!
Maria Finkelmeier Named a “one-woman dynamo” by The Boston Globe, Maria Finkelmeier is a percussion performer, educator, and active arts entrepreneur based in Boston, Massachusetts. Maria recently founded a nonprofit organization, Kadence Arts, devoted to incubating artistic projects, curating performances, and engaging local communities through music making. From 2012 - 2015, she served as the program manager of the Entrepreneurial Musicianship Department at New England Conservatory. Prior to rooting in New England, she spent three years in Northern Sweden at the Piteå Institution for Music and Media as an artist in residence.
A nuanced interpreter and creator of new music, Maria is co-founder of the artist collective, Masary Studios, responsible for turning Fenway Park’s Green Monster into an instrument and projection canvas for Illuminus at HubWeek in 2015. She also tours with Quartet Kalos, a Swedish-American band (clarinet, cello, voice, percussion) focused on arranging folk music and commissioning new works, and presents a solo program entitled “Human and/or Machine.” A sought after multidisciplinary collaborator, Maria has been commissioned to create works for the Boston Center for the Arts, Illuminus Boston, ArtWeek Boston, and the Outside the Box Festival.
An experienced entrepreneur, Maria has founded and directed numerous ventures, including her active experimental studio MF Dynamics, along with Kadence Arts, Make Music Boston, Quartet Kalos, Masary Studios, and Ensemble Evolution. She is an Associate Professor at Berklee College of Music specializing in Creative Entrepreneurship. Maria received a Bachelor of Music degree from The Ohio State University and a Master of Music degree from Eastman School of Music. Maria is a Yamaha Performing Artist.
Happy Birthday
Happy Birthday to friend of the show Iain Moyer! Iain is the Director of Athletic Bands and Music Programs Recruiter at Widener University. As Director of Athletic Bands, he oversees all aspects of the Widener University Marching and Pep Band, which performs at home football and basketball games, along with other university events. In his role as a Music Programs Recruiter, he is responsible for recruiting high school students with a music background into Widener’s academic majors and placing them in one of the many Widener music ensembles.
Iain also serves as the Boston Crusaders Drum & Bugle Corps' Front Ensemble Arranger. Prior to joining the Boston Crusaders, Iain served on the percussion staff of The Cadets Drum & Bugle Corps, where he served as Front Ensemble Arranger from 2009-2016.
Happy Birthday to friend of the show Will Fry! Will is a multi-percussionist based in Peckham, London. Will moved from his hometown of Brighton to London at twenty years old and quickly began working with a wide range of influential musicians, including Alex Wilson, Snowboy, Roy Ayers, Mark de Clive-Lowe, Nathan Haines, Pucho & The Latin Soul Brothers, Sola Akingbola, Jamiroquai, Duffy, Roberto Pla and more.
Over the next ten years, he performed in over thirty countries across six continents, including Baaba Maal’s Blues de Fleuve festival in Senegal, Java Jazz festival in Jakarta and Fuji Rock festival in Japan. Later performance credits include Eliane Correa, Ola Onabule, Giovanni Hidalgo, Eliel Lazo, Joe Bataan, Dele Sosimi (Fela Kuti), Native Dancer, Femi Temowo, Ill Considered, Rene Alveraz and more.
Happy Birthday to Rich Redmond! Rich began playing drums at age 8 and eventually played in the prestigious 1:00 Lab Band at The University of North Texas. Receiving his Master's Degree in Music Education, Rich now combines his classical training and 'street smarts' musicianship to bring his passion filled drumming to the world. Rich’s versatile, dynamic, and rock solid drumming is the sound behind many of today's top talents.
Rich has toured/recorded/performed with: Jason Aldean, Ludacris, Kelly Clarkson, Bryan Adams, Bob Seger, Joe Perry, Jewel, Miranda Lambert, Luke Bryan, Thompson Square, Steel Magnolia, The Pointer Sisters, John Eddie, Pam Tillis, Susan Ashton, Deana Carter, Montgomery Gentry, Alabama, John Anderson, Trace Adkins, Keith Urban, Emily West, Lauren Alaina, and many others. Rich has played drums and percussion on 19 #1 singles.
Happy Birthday to friend of the show Fabio Oliveira! Dr. Oliveira is a performer and educator with a wide variety of professional experiences as percussionist, improviser and conductor, working regularly in orchestral, chamber, solo and artist accompaniment settings, and navigating consistently between European classical and traditional Brazilian music. Transversing these traditions is an important and distinctive feature of his work. As a scholar, Fabio concentrated in matters related to multiple-percussion performance - dealing with music by Aperghis, Xenakis and Tutschku, preparing performances with live electronics, text translation in Instrumental Musical Theatre, composer-performer collaboration, and instrument building. Dr. Oliveira has recordings released on Tzadik, New World Records and Mode Records.
Happy Birthday to friend of the show Tim Greene! Tim Greene Sr. is currently in his sixth year as the Assistant Band Director/Percussion Director for Cypress Ranch High School out of Cypress Texas, in West Houston. During his tenure at Cypress Ranch High School the percussion section and band have become highly competitive in both indoor and outdoor arenas. Most notable awards include; Area Finalist in the UIL State Marching band contest 2018, Earning Sweepstakes with 1st division ratings across the board for Marching and Concert ensembles 2017-2018, Best percussion at multiple marching band contest, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 earning first place in Scholastic A division TCGC Championships indoor percussion contest in 2015.
Gig Alerts
There are some remaining shows coming up for Drum Corps International’s 2024 season happening July 31 - Aug 10. A few shows are happening this weekend in the north east. You can still get tickets on their website.
The Scranton Jazz Festival is happening this coming weekend Aug 2-4 in Scranton Pennsylvania. The Line-up includes artists like Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Joe Lovano, friend of the show Adam Nussbaum, and many more. You can see the schedule and get tickets on their website.
The Wildlands Festival is happening this weekend Aug 2-3 in Montana featuring Dierks Bentley, Maren Morris, and more. One and two day passes are available on the website for all the country music lovers!
The Satchmo Summerfest presented by the New Orleans Tourism and Cultural Fund is happening AUGUST 3 & 4, 2024 in NOLA, Louisiana. Admission is free. Don’t miss this one if you’re going to be in town! Artists include Preservation Brass Band, Mari Watanabe, Kevin Louis, Onward Brass Band, Big Chief Donald Harrison, and so many more.
Your host Damon Grant has some great gigs coming up in the north eastern part of the country Aug 19 - Sep 4th. Check out the schedule and come say hello. He’d love to meet you!
Damon will be with Billy Ruegger on Nantucket (Aug 19-25), in New Bedford (Sept 2) and Boston, MA (Sept 3-4).
Damon is celebrating his BIRTHDAY (Aug 28th) with the Percussion People percussion ensemble. This concert in the West Village of NYC will be at The Players Theater at 7 pm on AUGUST 26th. The discount code is: Percussion20.
Educational Spotlight
The second round of artists performing at PASIC this November have been announced. Friends of the show Jonathan Scales and Samuel Torres are both on this lineup. Register, renew your membership, and book your travel ASAP! Damon will be there, come say hi if you see him.
Iconic Recording
Maria chose this week’s iconic recording. She choose Caroline Shaw & Sō Percussion’s newest album 'Rectangles & Circumstance,' out now on Nonesuch. The track “Sing On” was chosen by Damon. Shout out to friends of the show Jason Treuting of Sō Percussion. Check out the whole album on Bandcamp!
Music News
Both Lady Gaga and Celine Dion dazzled with performances at the 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony in Paris, France on Friday. Neither were paid for their appearances and here’s why - Article
*Celine Dion is a Canadian citizen from Charlemagne, Quebec. She’s not a French citizen, but after that performance we’re sure France would gladly make her an honorary citizen. Both of her parents are of French descent, however. Bravo Celine!
Lollapalooza 2024 Main Stage to Be Fully Powered by a Hybrid Battery System. According to organizers, this marks the first time a major U.S. festival has had a battery-powered main stage - Article
Music Leading into the interview is “Alabaster,” by Maria Finkelmeier. “Alabaster” explores timbres of quirky instruments while experimenting with the potential of a single loop pedal. In three sections, layers of motifs are stacked upon one another, both in a specific meter, and in free time. As each section builds, sounds are captured and manipulated by composer David Ibbett.
Maria Finkelmeier Interview
Maria talks about being on the road, starting with being a part of the Elsewhere Fest in Wichita, Kansas. She recommends Kansas as a great place to visit. She discusses Ball State in Indianapolis, Indiana where she met up with the Yamaha crew and mentored young performing artists recipients.
Maria discusses doing a show at the Arts Empowering Life Performing Arts Center.
She talks about teaching the Creative Entrepreneur program at Berklee, how she books jobs, and how they often come-about through her network of friends and business associates.
Maria talks about traveling with her family and some of the exciting as well as challenging aspects of being a traveling musician with young children and how budgeting factors into that.
Damon and Maria talk about ways to meet the financial challenges of being a musician. One way being finding a source of steady passive income. Another way is through acquiring travel points. Damon has some tips for you and Maria about how to use points to aquire some extra cash.
“As far as points, different credit cards have different point structures and most will give you bonus points just for signing up (like American Express). Instead of using a debit card, try using a credit card and then paying off the balance immediately (especially with gas and groceries where you can earn 2x the points or more).”
“Then there's the bilt cards where you can finally earn points for paying your rent with a credit card. Bilt Points ranked as the most valuable rewards points (above Amex Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards), by Bankrate.com”
Damon’s entrance into learning about the world of ‘points’ was through this guy on Instagram who goes by the handle “The Points Guy.”
Lastly, this book helped Damon change his monetary habits for the better and he recommends it to anyone and everyone! Money for Couples, I Will Teach You to Be Rich.
Maria talks about being a full-time Creative Entrepreneur professor at Berklee College of Music and how the musician’s mindset is already set up for the brass tacks business world, as well as how to run yourself as a business. Damon speaks on his experience with public music school. Maria says about networking “It’s always about listening, it’s never about telling your story…”
She talks about her company MF Dynamics.
Maria talks about her time living in Sweden, the Piteå School of Music and Dance, teacher Anders Astrand, hustling, teaching in Sweden, and forming a group.
Maria discusses balancing her family responsibilities with her career goals.
Maria talks about social media in-general and her “Team” which includes her marketing, and social media team, as well as her Youtube channel.
Maria talks about using spreadsheets, google drive, and Microsoft Excel. She elaborates on why spreadsheet literacy is important and how it can be intuitive for percussive artists.
Maria talks about how she got started in music as a kid on the piano. This inadvertantly led to her choosing the drums as a high school student. She talks about why she ultimately chose The Ohio State University for undergrad, and Eastman School of Music for her master of music degree.
Maria talks about Club Dynamo. How to vision big, make noise, and land the opportunity, a workbook for Creative Entrepreneurs she created. Free Download: Perfect the Pitch. She offers one on one mentorships. You can learn more about it on her website.
Maria was formerly involved with Kadence Arts an non-profit organization that incubates artistic projects, curates performances, and engages local communities through music making.
Maria is currently involved with Masary Studios, a transdisciplinary artist collective reconsidering environments through site-specific installations using sound, light, interactivity, and performance.
Maria will be giving a clinic at this year's PASIC.
The above video is what Damon was referring to with the Peter Jackson/Marvel comments.
Maria uses Yamaha Percussion , Vic Firth Sticks and Mallets, and Zildjian Cymbals.
Shout-out to Dr. Susan Powell, friend of the show John H. Beck, Michael Burritt, and Anders Astrand.
Music leading out of the episode is “Inner Eye” for marimba solo and loop by Maria Finkelmeier.
Keep up with Maria on her social media accounts by using the hyperlinks below.
