DESCRIPTION:
Dr. Julia Gaines presents a series of lessons from her book, "Sequential Studies for Four-Mallet Marimba". In this lesson, Dr. Gaines demonstrates Single Independent Strokes, Stepwise Parallel Octaves.

Dr. Julia Gaines joined the faculty of the School of Music at the University of Missouri in 1996 and is currently an Associate Professor and Director of Percussion Studies. She has performed in the percussion sections of the Missouri Chamber Orchestra, the Oklahoma City Philharmonic Orchestra, the Fox Valley Symphony, and the Green Bay Symphony Orchestra. She also has a history in drum corps culminating as a member of the 1989 Santa Clara Vanguard front ensemble.

Dr. Gaines has been a member of the Percussive Arts Society (PAS) for twenty+ years. She has been the Vice-President and President of the Missouri Chapter of PAS and hosted the MOPAS Day Of Percussion in 2003 and 2012. She has served on the PAS International Board of Directors and as Secretary of the Executive Committee. Currently, she is an Associate Editor for Percussive Notes, the scholarly journal of PAS, with the primary responsibility of Review Editor.

Her interest in commissioning new, intermediate four-mallet marimba music as well as her passion for helping teachers recently led her to another stage in her career. In 2007, she began the process of creating a matrix from which to objectively analyze the technical and musical attributes of a four-mallet marimba piece. After three years of revising this matrix, she now has a large number of pieces organized into ten pedagogically sequential levels. Sequential Studies for Four-Mallet Marimba -- Level 1 is Dr. Gaines' first book published as a result of this research. She is currently working on Book 2 of this series. More information about these books and research can be found at www.marimbalevels.com.

Dr. Gaines proudly endorses Vic Firth Mallets and Sticks, Pearl/
Adams Drums and Percussion, Evans Drumheads, and Sabian Cymbals.