2025 Winter Drum Show - Student Recital

Another successful recital in the books, people! As always, it was so great seeing everyone get up on stage and going in! This year’s recital felt very similar to what I imagine an ice skating race to be like. Ice skating because we are in full-blown winter right now, and a race because it was a competition between what needed to be prepared in our song selection with the amount of time we have allocated to practicing. Purpose and confidence must be at the forefront of all our practice sessions when performing anything challenging. There will be a lot of ups and downs emotionally while preparing a difficult piece of music. Much like a race, your thoughts will tell you “Yes, I can do this” or “I need to maintain my pace to win this thing” or even some level of defeat like “I can’t do this.” Controlling the mind and giving yourself enough time to practice will help combat some of the nerves before getting up on stage. With the right practice outline, you will prove to yourself that you can achieve a lot on this instrument. Consistency in your practice is key for a successful performance. Think about what you need to do in order to win your race when emotions, distractions, and time are competing against you.

We are living in a world of distractions, and how you organize your practice time is crucial. I had a handful of students drop out right before the recital this year because they were feeling that they couldn’t perform their song. The pressure builds when we get closer to the recital, and having a proper practice routine will help when pressure starts to rise. For all my students, I will always help pick a recital song that I think they will be able to prepare in a couple of months. Ideally, I try to pick a piece that is just a little bit outside of everyone’s comfort zone so they have something to practice for those months. The same goes for me and the song I choose. I always try to play something different, something challenging, in every recital. I wouldn’t put my students through something that I myself wouldn’t do. I practiced my piece, and it wasn’t until just a couple of days before the recital that I was feeling comfortable with the whole song on a level that I wanted to perform it at. The preparation can feel like a roller coaster at times when distractions are at the forefront. Organizing your practice sessions will help regulate emotions because there is an established plan. When running a race, stay focused on each movement that pushes you forward. Block out any external thought that convinces you otherwise.

You will surprise yourself with the songs that you can play and how comfortable you will be on this instrument when your practice is consistent. When the recital gets close, keep your head down and keep pushing, keep practicing, you are almost there. You are not alone, as most of us feel that internal pressure start to build closer to recital time. There will be some people that decide to stop at this point when the pressure starts to build and some who will keep pushing through. Consistency is king. Even just two really good practice sessions can be a big jump from previous days. With this instrument, we have to continue to take the small wins each day and, most importantly, believe in ourselves. I am a firm believer that anyone in this world can play any song ever recorded. We all have four limbs. Why can’t we do it? Don’t let your emotions take over your established routine. What separates the good from the great is the attention to detail, consistency, and perseverance. You really can play any song in this world if you put your mind to it!

This year’s recital was so much fun, and everybody did such an amazing job with their song. I feel that the students who kept their momentum moving forward each week ended up having a successful performance. Just like a race, stay consistent and believe in yourself, especially when you are so close to the finish line. You may surprise yourself and win the race against emotions, allocated time, and outside distractions.

Here are some of the photos and videos taken of each performer at the recital:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1_rxO-gNBDWHVAsSrd-uOSlOwTg4RpQ8u?usp=share_link

**Students should begin compiling a folder of all their recital videos to track their progress over the years. Having these performances saved is a great way to track your development over time and to showcase your skills to potential future bandmates or audition panels.

Eric's Drum Lessons - 2025 Winter Drum Show Student Recital Performers In Oder:

1. Ender - Tripping Billies - Dave Matthews Bands

2. Jim - Dream On - Aerosmith

3. Adam - Death By Glamour - Toby Fox

4. Stephanie - Multo - Cup Of Joe

5. Palak - APT. - Rose, Bruno Mars

6. Rachel - Wild Child - The Black Keys

7. Kat - Weird Fishes / Apreggi - Radiohead

8. Kelsey - Go Your Own Way - Fleetwood Mac

9. Scott - Palace Of The King - Freddie King

10. Nina - Throw Yourself To The Sword - Die Spitz

11. Urban - Every Day Is Exactly The Same - NIN

12. Maysun - Celebrity Skin - Hole

13. Robert - Sit Next To Me - Foster The People

14. Jay - Chelsea Dagger - The Fratellis

15. Anthony - No One Knows - Queen Of The Stone Age

16. Eric - Physical Education - Animals As Leaders 

This year has been a lot of fun, and as always, I thoroughly enjoy teaching each and every one of you. I am very excited to see where this year takes all of my students. It has been fun watching everyone's musical journey so far and can't wait to see where you guys will be at the end of next year. The word of the year is Consistency. By dedicating even just a few minutes each day to your practice, you create a routine that fosters familiarity and comfort with the instrument. It is the small steps that count. If you are just a little bit better today than you were yesterday, then you are winning. Keep practicing, keep pushing forward, keep being awesome.

Much love,

Eric Kummer