#429 Amanda Duncan- Percussionist, Educator, and More!
This week’s guest is Amanda Duncan. Amanda is a multi-faceted percussionist and music educator based in Southern California. She plays drums, percussion, and steel pan with a wide variety of ensembles throughout Southern California. Amanda frequently performs and records with Tracy Thornton and Pan Rocks, musical theatre companies, local symphonies, as a solo steel pan artist, and has shared the stage and recording studio with artists ranging from Mike Portnoy, Stephen Perkins, and Billy Sheehan to Liam Teague, Martin Chalifour, and Michael Giacchino.
A 2024 Hero Finalist nominee for Parenting OC Magazine, Amanda is in her 11th year as the Director of Percussion at Santa Margarita Catholic High School, where she teaches Steel Drums, Percussion, AP Music Theory, and is also one of the Instrumental Music Instructors for the TAPA Conservatory. Additionally, she is adjunct music faculty at Fullerton College, a music education evaluator with Long Beach Camerata, and has taught online through The Den Collective.
Amanda is a former committee chair for the National Society of Steel Band Educators, and worked as music supervisor for the short documentary “The Jill of the Trade” produced by Xplore the World Productions. She’s been interviewed by the Trinidad Guardian, When Steel Talks, the podcasts “Discussions In Percussion,” “Pete’s Percussion Podcast,” “Strike Up,” and “Concert Honesty,” and featured on Pan Magazine’s social media accounts.
Passionate about the steel pan and music of the West African diaspora, Amanda performed with the Silver Stars Steel Orchestra in the 2016 Panorama finals competition in Trinidad, visited the Mangrove Steelband in London, UK in 2019, and has also twice studied samba drumming and Brazilian culture in Rio de Janeiro and Salvador, Brazil. Amanda received her Bachelors and Masters degrees in Percussion Performance from the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at CSULB and Northern Illinois University, respectively.
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday to Justin Faulkner! Philadelphia native, drummer, educator, and philanthropist Justin Faulkner has cultivated a sound that invites, entertains, informs, and heals.
Throughout his career, Faulkner has shared the stage with musical luminaries like Kenny Barron, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Peter Nero, Jimmy Heath, Orrin Evans, Ornette Coleman, Sean Jones, Tim Warfield, Bernard Purdie, Pharoah Saunders, Terence Blanchard, Mingus Big Band/Dynasty/Orchestra, Bootsie Barnes, Jacky Terrasson, Terrence Howard, Bilal, Christian McBride and continues to be the drummer of choice for numerous others.
Justin's training began at the Girard Academic High School Music Program (GAMP). At seven years old, his formal education included studying classical percussion with Susan Jones and jazz drums and percussion with Samuel Ruttenberg. Jazz Ensemble, Chamber Ensemble, and Choral Ensemble education at the Kimmel Center created a new understanding of community and the creative ecosystem. The Clef Club of Jazz and the Performing Arts provided freedom of expression for a young musician to find his way. Principal Timpanist of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Don Liuzzi, cultivated the detail-oriented nature necessary to craft the full musical experiences Faulkner presents.
As a child prodigy, Justin entered the jazz scene at the tender age of 13, playing his first professional gig with bassist Jamaaladeen Tacuma of Ornette Coleman's band Primetime. In the coming years, his apprenticeships with Orrin Evans, J.D. Walter, Boris Kozlov, Bootsie Barnes, Denise King, Michelle Beckham, and The Charles Mingus Big Band would shape the still teenager into a gentleman entering the scene elegantly and with a presence.
On March 19, 2009, his 18th birthday, Faulkner started his tenure with the Branford Marsalis Quartet. Since then, Faulkner has toured the world extensively for the last 11 years. The musical expedition has included performances at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Michener Museum (Doylestown, PA), The Kennedy Center (Washington D.C.), Jazz at Lincoln Center( New York City), The Sydney Opera House (Sydney, Australia), The Blue Note Jazz Club (Tokyo, Japan), Royal Opera House (Muscat, Oman), Vienna Konzerthaus (Vienna, Austria), and Concertgebouw (Amsterdam, Netherlands), to name a few.
Happy Birthday to Joshua Simonds! Previous to the Percussive Arts Society, Joshua Simonds was the Executive Director of Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras. He holds a Master of Arts in Arts Management from American University in Washington, DC, and a Bachelor of Arts in Percussion from California State University, Long Beach.
During his tenure, CYSO has more than doubled its programs, built strong relationships with world-class composers resulting in numerous world and local premieres, and initiated groundbreaking artistic collaborations, including performances with Ben Folds, My Morning Jacket, The Second City, My Brightest Diamond, the Chicago Bulls, and multiple performances at the legendary rock festival Lollapalooza.
His passion for percussion has always been at the forefront of his work at CYSO. During his tenure at CYSO, the organization built one of the largest youth steel pan programs in the midwest, performed multiple times with Chicago’s Blue Man Group in Chicago’s Millennium Park, engaged Third Coast Percussion on multiple occasions including a 2014 year-in-residence resulting in a New Music USA grant for a video recording of David T Little’s Radiant Child for Percussion Quartet and Orchestra, and most recently secured Glenn Kotche as CYSO’s 2016-2017 Composer in Residence. These are just a few examples of Joshua’s life-long commitment to percussion performance and education.
While at California State University, Long Beach, Joshua studied percussion with Raynor Carroll, Principal Percussionist of the LA Philharmonic, Dr. Dave Gerhart, and the late Dr. Michael Carney. Joshua is also a proud alumnus of the Velvet Knights Drum and Bugle Corps.
Happy Birthday to Brian Potts! Brian is a versatile performer and dedicated educator with a passion for Brazilian percussion. Under the tutelage of Dr. Ney Rosauro at the University of Miami, he became enamored with the sound and capabilities of modern pandeiro techniques. His degrees culminated with a doctoral essay based on an interview with the great Marcos Suzano, which has become an invaluable reference for pandeiristas the world over. Also, Brian works closely with the Pandeiro Repique Duo, comprised of Bernardo Aguiar and Gabriel Policarpo, with whom he founded the Brazilian percussion supergroup PRD Mais in 2016. In addition to his love of Brazilian music, Brian has sought to help make the pandeiro an international and limitless phenomenon by adapting the instrument to a wide variety of styles, including jazz, funk, soul, Latin, and classical music. In his clinics, Brian strives to relate the versatility of the pandeiro by utilizing modern techniques that allow students to approach the instrument in a creative and interactive fashion. He also teaches at Barry University in addition to online (i.e. Skype, Zoom, etc).
Happy Birthday to Jordan Rose! Native of Houston, Texas, drummer Jordan Rose has performed at festivals and venues throughout the US, Canada, Europe, Mexico, Asia, and the Middle East. From 2012-2014 Jordan toured extensively with multi-Grammy award winner, Joe Louis Walker. He now resides in Brooklyn, New York where his talents as a session drummer have given him the opportunity to collaborate with musicians Charlie Puth, Jeff Coffin, Nona Hendryx, Bakithi Kumalo, Louis Cato, and many others. This year Jordan is touring with Theo Katzman of Vulfpeck, The Blues Brothers, and Caleb Hawley, and is scheduled to perform across the US, Europe, and Russia.
From 2007-2010 Jordan fought a battle with a growth in his right ear which caused him to lose almost all hearing. Due to modern medicine and miraculous healing, his hearing was restored. From this three year period of trial and uncertainty, Jordan gained an even deeper love, appreciation, and excitement for music and a greater understanding of the intense power it has to impact lives. As he shares his talents in drumming, he hopes that he can bring the same life-changing positivity to the world that music has brought to him.
Happy Birthday to Aaron T. Smith! Aaron is a freelance percussionist in Southern California, where he has performed with such groups as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the L.A. Chamber Orchestra, L.A. Opera and the Pacific Symphony. He served as the principal timpanist of the New Mexico Symphony. In addition to orchestral music, Mr. Smith plays contemporary music and is an active chamber musician. He has performed as a soloist in Los Angeles and New York City, and has given solo recitals throughout Southern California. Mr. Smith has participated in the world-premieres of many works, some of which were written specifically for him.
Outside of LMU, Mr. Smith serves as a clinician and adjudicator. Aaron attended the University of California at Los Angeles (BA, MFA), where he studied with Mitchell Peters, Principal Timpanist (ret.) of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and has also studied with Raynor Carroll, Principal Percussionist of the LAPO. He has studied riq and frame drums with Randy Gloss (CALARTS) and drum set with Michael Packer (L.A. Music Academy) and J. D. Blair (Nashville studio and touring musician).
Happy Birthday to Andrew Beall! Hailed by NY Classical Review as “Spectacularly Virtuosic”, international composer/performer Andrew Beall’s work has been performed in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, and North/South America. Grammy-winning Broadway Records released albums of his musicals, Song of Solomon (starring Tony-nominee Ramin Karimloo) and Platinum Girls (starring Tony-winner Beth Leavel) both of which have been produced on the international and domestic stage, and Goodbye New York, a commission by NewYorkRep, will receive it’s London premiere in the ‘24/’25 season. Recent commissions: signature song, “This Is Your Show” for national organization, Compassions and Choices, “Jennifer’s Lullaby” for the feature film, Four Cousins and a Christmas (MarVista). His orchestral work has been premiered at Lincoln Center. Broadway: Les Miserables, West Side Story, The Notebook, The Lion King, In The Heights, Beetlejuice, Aladdin, Six, Spiderman, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Days of Wine and Roses. Orchestra: Albany Symphony, American Symphony, Columbus Symphony, New Haven Symphony, Greenwich Symphony, Key West Symphony, Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas, Pit Stop Players, and Parlando, which he also serves as Orchestra Manager. Twice Mr. Beall has appeared as a guest soloist with the Siberian Symphony Orchestra, performing his percussion and marimba concerti. He is the drummer for the Broadway dance company, American Dance Machine, eclectic rock quartet, Cordis, and can be seen in the feature film Breathe In and Amazon series, Mozart in the Jungle. He has released three albums on BMP Records: Deliverance, Glass Jungle, and Relentless. Owner of Bachovich Music Publications and Past President of the Percussive Arts Society New York Chapter, Mr. Beall is an endorsing artist for Pearl Drums, Sabian Cymbals, Innovative Percussion, Latin Percussion, and Evans Drumheads and a graduate of Manhattan School of Music and New York University.
Happy Birthday to Jim Ancona! James Ancona is an associate professor of music at the University of Delaware. He is the assistant director of the Fightin' Blue Hen Marching Band, director of the Basketball Pep Band and co-director of the Symphonic Band. Mr. Ancona received his Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and his Master of Music in Performance from Indiana University, where he was awarded the prestigious Performer's Certificate. His former teachers include Gerald Carlyss, Thomas Hannum, William Roberts, Peter Tanner and Leigh Howard Stevens.
Mr. Ancona has more than 30 years of experience as a composer and instructor for world-class drum and bugle corps. He is currently a percussion advisor for the Boston Crusaders. He has served on the instructional staff and as a caption head for championship percussion sections and corps including Star of Indiana, The Cadets, Santa Clara Vanguard and The Cavaliers.
Several of Mr. Ancona’s percussion arrangements appeared on the Tony and Emmy award-winning Broadway show Blast. He also has several arrangements published by Tapspace Publications. Mr. Ancona is the co-author of the popular front ensemble text, Up Front: A Complete Resource for Today's Pit Ensemble and author of Up Front Etudes. He is an endorser and clinician for the Avedis Zildjian Company, Remo, Pearl drums and Adams percussion, and a signature artist for Innovative Percussion, Inc. Mr. Ancona has presented educational and performance clinics around the world.
Gig Alerts
The Washington Tattoo is happening Saturday March 29, 2025 at 6:00 PM at Lisner Auditorium, Washington, D.C. Shout-out to friend of the show, Mark Reilly for the heads-up!
JammCard presents, The City’s Beat. A new live music series, celebrating the sound of the city. They’re kicking it off in Atlanta with a month of weekly concerts every Wednesday in April at Hard Rock Cafe Atlanta.
The Southern Mississippi Pan Orchestra is having their 30th Anniversary Concert at the Mannoni Performing Arts Center, Saturday, April 5 · 7:30 - 9:30pm CDT. Doors at 6:30pm. Friend of the show, John Wooton (like the river) will be leading the group.
Lawrence and Lake Street Dive are both on tour right now, but will be going on tour together in the fall. Tickets are now available!.
Educational Spotlight
Damon will be doing some clinics at UMass Amherst on March 31st from 4.30-6.30pm, and then at UMass Dartmouth on April 2nd from 6-9pm.
There are some upcoming Day of Percussion events this coming weekend, which can be found on the Percussive Arts Society website on the ‘chapters’ tab.
Iconic Recording
Amanda chose the song “As” by Stevie Wonder for the iconic recording for the week. You can read more and see the personnel by CLICKING HERE.
Music News
Lizzo has been tapped to play Sister Rosetta Tharpe in a new movie about the godmother of rock’n’roll, Deadline reports. The film, titled Rosetta, will be produced by Lizzo, Kevin Beisler, Nina Yang Bongiovi, and acclaimed actor Forest Whitaker, while Natalie Chaidez and Kwynn Perry handle the screenplay. -Read More
It’s tax time, so HERE IS A GUIDE to help you get through them and not get audited!
There are so many musicians opposed to this current administration using their music, in addition to the cease and desist letters and lawsuits, there is now an evergrowing WikiPedia Page with the names of all the artists.
Amanda Duncan Interview
The song leading into the interview is YYZ by Rush, performed by Pan Rocks!
Shout-out to Kristen Klehr.
Amanda talks about her fitness routine.
She also was an avid tennis player. She talks about making the choice between that and music.
Amanda attended Cal State Long Beach.
Shout-out to RCC Indoor Drumline and Pulse Percussion drumlines.
March is Women’s History Month!
Amanda attended the NSSBE (National Society of Steel Band Educators) Conference this year at Northern Kentucky University.
Amanda recounts her first memory of Steel Pans. She initially wanted to audition for the L.A. Phil or NY Phil.
Marianne by Harry Belafonte was the first song she learned on pan.
Amanda and Damon talk about the pan ranges.
Damon mentions the specificity of percussion and drums in the “engine room”
Amanda grew up in Long Beach and went to Long Beach Poly High School. She talks about catching Snoop filming a music video on the roof of a building.
Amanda talks about how she chose her school and why she didn’t go to USC.
Shout-out to friends of the show Andy Akiho and Jonathan Scales.
Amanda teaches at Santa Margarita Catholic High School.
Damon brings up the pan sample library Andy did with Ellie Mannette.
Shout-out to Emmanuel “Cobo Jack” Reilly.
Amanda also attended Northern Illinois University and studied with the late Dr. Cliff Alexis and Liam Teague when getting her masters.
Shout-out to Dr. Michael Carney and the CSULB Steel Orchestra and the Humbolt State Calypso Band with Dr. Eugene Novotney.
Amanda talks about the many styles of percussion she learned from different parts of the world.
Amanda studied in Brazil in Rio and Salvador, Bahia Brazil.
Amanda went to Spain through EF Tours.
Damon and Amanda encourage you should travel and/or study abroad!
Amanda has Mexican heritage in her lineage, on her mother’s side.
Amanda regularly arranges music for her steel pan ensembles. Check out MauMau Music and Pan Ramajay Productions as options as well.
Amanda also mentions John Willmarth’s arrangments for steel pan.
Shout-out to Tyler Swick and Todd Jelinek.
Amanda talks about what to eat in Trinidad. In Trinidad and Tobago, "doubles" refers to a popular street food consisting of two fried flatbreads (bara) filled with curried chickpeas (channa) and often topped with various chutneys and sauces.
Amanda mentions getting approached to teach because of the passing of Nick Kraus.
One of her duties was teaching handbells (Start at the 2hr mark)
Shout-out to Chris Washburn and the Syotos Band as well as Koronet Pizza.
Amanda talks about Pan Rocks.
Amanda mentions some other pan programs in SoCal. Shout-out to Mission Vista High School with Daniel Rashkin, Campbell Hall Soldiers of Steel with Jason Lee Bruns, Renaissance High School with Greg Paxton, Cabrillo High School with Drew Holt.
Amanda picks the iconic recording for the week.
Shout-out to Amanda’s parents, Chris Stevens, Dr. Michael Carney, Robert Chappell, Greg Beyer, Liam Teague, and Dr. Cliff Alexis.
You can follow Amanda on her Website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
The song leading out of the interview is “Kashmir” by Led Zeppelin, performed by Pan Rocks.
