MSU percussion faculty member publishes music book for timpani

Jason Baker, pictured with a set of xylophones, is an MSU associate professor of music who has recently published a new book of compositions for timpani. (Photo by Logan Kirkland)

STARKVILLE, Miss.—A recently published book by a Mississippi ��APP associate professor of music offers young percussionists solos and exercises for the timpani – often referred to as the “kettle drums,” used in both orchestra and band.

In “33 Elementary Etudes for Timpani,” Jason Baker provides examples and exercises to help students build confidence in reading timpani parts and moving fluently around the drums. The exercises also include performance techniques, tuning changes, metric schemes and other indications commonly found in student-level solo, band/orchestra and percussion ensemble repertoires.

The book began as a spring-summer project after Baker listened to school percussion auditions. He realized there weren’t many solo options for younger percussionists, especially timpani players, so he began work on a solution.

“I resolved that each week or so, I would write a new short piece, and they would all be geared toward students from an advanced middle school level all the way through high school,” Baker said.

He explained that his pieces do not require a high degree of technical proficiency to play, but are representative of music that students might play in a high school ensemble or even college or professional ensembles, making them ideal for auditions.

“I knew they needed to teach a sense of musical intuitiveness and how things begin, then develop and resolve musically,” Baker said. “When I was done, I was most happy with the fact that I enjoyed performing all of them.”

Published in 2018 by HoneyRock Publishing, an Everett, Pennsylvania company that specializes in high-quality percussion literature, “33 Elementary Etudes for Timpani” is now available for purchase.

For more information, visit .

Baker holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Connecticut, a master’s degree from the New England Conservatory of Music and a doctorate from the University of North Texas. Since joining the faculty MSU, he also has completed a Master of Business Administration.

Established in 1903, MSU’s College of Education is home to six academic departments, one research unit and numerous service units. For more about the college and its nationally accredited Department of Music, visit or .

MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at .

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