PASIC 2025 IS HERE! Here’s Part 2 of our annual PASIC Preview Episodes (for the 50th PASIC)! Included today are conversations with presenters who will be appearing Thursday and Friday during the conference. Discussions are with Nick Costa (02:00), Kassandra Kocoshis (18:15), Lamon Lawhorn (34:45), and Michael Schutz (59:45).

The podcast closes with a shoutout to nearly 10 years of Previous Podcast Guests who are going to be presenting at the 2025 PASIC - thanks and congrats everyone! (01:15:00)

Links:

Nick Costa

Kassandra Kocoshis

M’Boom

Michael Schutz

PASIC 2025 is here! Let’s preview some of the presentations that you’ll be able to see. Today’s podcast focuses on those taking part in the Thursday New Music/Research Focus Day. You’ll get to hear from Francis Favis (02:20), Liz Soflin (18:00), Drew Tucker (31:00), Kristie Ibrahim, Gina Ryan, and Victoria Sparks of Triolet (50:00), and Frank Kumor (01:09:30).

Links:

Francis Favis

Liz Soflin

Drew Tucker

Triolet

Frank Kumor

Acadia University (NS) Percussion Professor, as well as Freelancer, Composer, and Researcher Ken Shorley stops by to talk about his unusual faculty position at Acadia, his Freelancing career, traveling and studying musics of the world, and forming a performing duo with his wife (03:40), the Canadian Percussion Network and The Space Between conferences (43:25), growing up in Southern Ontario, along with discussions of his musical and literary influences (52:40), attending York University (ON) for undergrad and sticking around Toronto after graduation before moving to Nova Scotia (01:05:25), and finishes with the Random Ass Questions, including segments about physicality in percussion performance, classic movies, the author Helen Humphreys, and memorable live performances (01:20:15).

Finishing with a Rave on the 2025 film One Battle After Another (01:39:40).

Ken Shorley links:

Ken Shorley’s homepage

Ken Shorley’s YouTube page

Previous Podcast Guests Mentioned:

Shawn Mativetsky from 2023

Other Links:

Sahara Jane

Folk Music Ontario

Nova Scotia Music Week

Neil Peart

Trichy Sankaran

John Brownell

“Within You Without You” - The Beatles

Everygreen Club Contemporary Gamelan

Simon Cook

Novation Launchpad series

TorQ Percussion Quartet

Thelonious Monk

John Coltrane

Blue Rodeo

The Tragically Hip

The Indigo Girls

Raves:

One Battle After Another trailer

University of Tennessee-Knoxville Adjunct Professor of Percussion Mike Mixtacki stops by to talk about his new gig, his many jobs in the college world so far, and connecting to the Eastern Tennessee percussion community (02:10), growing up in Madison (WI), his percussion and piano background, earning his Eagle Scout badge, and playing in lots of bands in his early years (21:15), attending the University of Wisconsin for undergrad and Indiana University for his master’s (39:10), working at Northern Illinois University (01:02:50), the University of Texas at San Antonio (01:10:40), his years at Texas Tech University and the importance of having regular life and job discussions with one’s partner (01:17:30), and finishes with the Random Ass Questions, including segments on cooking situations, bad action movies, Star Wars culture, Culver’s, current events podcasts, and reflecting on the life of Alan Shinn (01:31:30).

Finishing with a Rave on the Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel Wicked (01:57:50).

Mike Mixtacki Links:

Mike Mixtacki’s website

Mike Mixtacki’s Innovative Percussion website

Previous Podcast Guests mentioned:

Andy Bliss from 2023

Erin Walker Bliss from 2024

Liam Teague from 2025

Sherry Rubins from 2016

Ben Wahlund from 2025

Lisa Rogers from 2017

Alan Shinn from 2021

Other Links:

Kevin Zetina

Keith Brown

Robert Chappell

Anthony Di Sanza

Vicki Jenks

“Down with the Sickness” - Disturbed

“Psychosocial” - Slipknot

“Bacalao Con Pan” - Irakere

Chucho Valdés Tiny Desk Concert

“Quimbara” - Celia Cruz & The Fania All Stars

Tito Puente on Sesame Street

Michael Spiro

Birch Creek Music Performance Center

Eugene Novotney

Joe Galvin

Brian Mueller

Steve Houghton

Jamie Ryan

Jesus Diaz

Raul Pineda

Ed Smith

Graeme Francis

Jesse Willis

Jonathan Tomasello

Ten Summoners Tales - Sting

Severance trailer

Andor trailer

Jason Statham

Liam Neeson

Zero Day trailer

Cuba and its Music - Ned Sublette

Culver’s

Mehdi Hasan and Mark Ruffalo

The Ezra Klein Show

Raves:

Wicked - Gregory Maguire

New York City-based freelancing percussionist and educator Shelby Blezinger-McCay stops by to talk about her job activities, moving to NY from grad school, and her experiences work with So Percussion (03:00), subbing for Broadway shows, NYC transit, and visiting Long Island (23:00), growing up near Dallas, her DCI years, and playing tennis (37:50), her undergrad years at Auburn University (AL) and her experiences of the Alabama-Auburn rivalry (52:15), her grad school years at the University of North Texas and her year performing with the World Percussion Group (01:08:25), and settles in for the Random Ass Questions, including discussions of intense opinions, being a woman in the percussion field, horror movies, cycling and tennis, and composer Heather Christian (01:30:15).

Finishing with a Rave on the recent collaboration between Marching Mizzou and His Majesty’s Royal Marines (01:56:15).

Shelby Blezinger-McCay links:

Shelby’s Maestra website

Previous Podcast Links:

Brian Zator in 2017

Mark Ford in 2023

She-e Wu in 2025

Raychel Taylor in 2020

Pauline Roberts in 2024

Other Links:

So Percussion

World Percussion Group

Valerie Naranjo

Ed Smith

“INUKSUIT” - John Luther Adams

Minot State University (ND) Percussion Professor Mariah Taller stops by to talk about her job and getting acclimated to the community there (02:35), her doctoral research on Julie Spencer (21:35), growing up in South Bend (IN), her early experiences in large ensembles, learning marimba concerti, and swimming in high school (32:00), attending Depauw University (IN) for undergrad (44:20), Stephen F. Austin State University (TX) for her master’s (56:30), Texas Tech University for her doctorate (01:08:20), and finishes with the Random Ass Questions, including segments on triangle technique, making pizza, Bridesmaids, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Taylor Swift, and the Chicago White Sox (01:23:00).

Finishing with a Rave on a recent concert by Mariachi Los Portillos (01:48:45).

Mariah Taller links:

Mariah Taller’s Minot State webpage

Previous Podcast Guests Mentioned:

Julie Spencer in 2021

Lisa Rogers in 2017

Brad Meyer in 2021

Bonnie Whiting in 2020

Kathleen Kastner in 2017

Lamon Lawhorn in 2020

Ben Tomlinson in 2023

Other Links:

Julie Spencer on the @Percussion Podcast

Garwood Whaley

Concertino for Marimba and Orchestra - Paul Creston

Marimba Concerto No. 2 - Ney Rosauro'

Ming-Hui Kuo

“Cold Pressed” - Dave Hollinden

“Canned Heat” - Eckhard Kopetzki

Suite for Marimba - Alfred Fissinger

“Psappha” - Iannis Xenakis

Bridesmaids trailer

Jurassic World Dominion trailer

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants trailer

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants - Ann Brashares

Ken Kwapis

“Let’s Go Crazy” - Prince

Red - Taylor Swift

2005 Chicago White Sox highlights

Hacienda Restaurant

Politos South Bend

Late Night with Seth Meyers

Raves:

Mariachi Los Portillos - NW Arkansas

Nicholls State University (LA) Percussion Professor Gustavo Miranda stops by to talk about his job and his freelancing in the Louisiana area (02:35), the Ninkasi Quartet (18:10), growing up in Brazil, his early music background on guitar, his experiences playing soccer and surfing, and heavy metal (26:10), his undergrad musical experiences in Brazil and his interactions with many in the percussion community at the time (58:35), his master’s and doctoral degree time at LSU with Brett Dietz (01:11:20), and finishes with the Random Ass Questions, including segments on inspiring literature choices, impressions, Fogo de Châo, and the video game Destiny (01:29:00).

Finishing with a Rave on Al Pacino’s memoir Sonny Boy and his 2024 appearance on WTF with Marc Maron (02:00:00).

Gustavo Miranda Links:

Gustavo Miranda’s Nicholls State page

Gustavo Miranda’s Pearl Drum page

Ninkasi Percussion Group

Previous Podcast Guests mentioned:

Oliver Molina in 2021

Joe W. Moore III in 2017

Jeff Barudin in 2018

William Moersch in 2019

Tom Burritt in 2021

Jeff Moore in 2023

Mark Ford in 2023

Other Links:

Brett Dietz

Lonny Benoit

Jeff Prosperie

Guy Gauthreaux

American Suite - Guy Gauthreaux

Greg Lyons

Marc Mellits

Hymns for Ninkasi - Brett Dietz

Susan Powell

“Saëta” - Elliott Carter

“Run to the Hills” - Iron Maiden

“Arise” - Sepultura

“Spain” - Chick Corea

“Tornado” - Mitch Markovich

“Yellow After the Rain” - Mitchell Peters

Anthony Cirone

“Teardrops” - Mitchell Peters

“Two Mexican Dances” - Gordon Stout

Ney Rosauro

David Stock

“Merlin” - Andrew Thomas

Fogo de Chåo

Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring trailer

Thor: Love and Thunder trailer

Breaking Bad trailer

The Office trailer

Game of Thrones trailer

Angels & Demons - Robert Langdon

Destiny video game series

Raves:

Sonny Boy - Al Pacino

WTF with Marc Maron - Al Pacino

Assistant Professor of Percussion at Temple College/Texas A&M University-Central Texas Nathan Siegel stops by to talk about his unusual position at these schools, his social media presence, his travel schedule during previous years, and the need to be versatile in the profession (03:45), growing up in Fort Worth (TX), getting into percussion, his drum corps years and high school marching band recollections, and getting his Eagle Scout badge (34:30), his undergrad years at Indiana University (49:30), his master’s years at the University of Colorado-Boulder, including performing a very long marimba recital (01:04:15), his doctoral years at the University of North Texas (01:22:50), and finishing with the Random Ass Questions, including portions about thoughtful concert music choices, olive oil, The Alamo Drafthouse, Game of Thrones Books, The Steelers, and his love of obscure bands and artists (01:34:15).

Finishing with a Rave on a recent performance of What the Constitution Means to Me (02:04:00).

Nathan Siegel Links:

Nathan Siegel’s teaching page

Nathan Siegel’s Instagram page

Previous Podcast Guests mentioned:

Lamon Lawhorn in 2020

Kevin Bobo in 2017

Mike Sammons in 2022

Mark Ford in 2023

Jeff Barudin in 2018

Jennifer Jolley in 2023

Other Links:

Norm Bergeron

Richard Kearns

Rob Knopper

Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps

Rhythm X, Inc.

Carlos Botello and the Left Hand Path

Genesis Drum & Bugle Corps

Stuart Spoon

Tyler Orbison

Brian West

John Tafoya

Michael Spiro

Steve Houghton

Singing Hoosiers

Doug Walter

Carl Dixon

Marc Damoulakis

“Marimba Quartet” - Daniel Levitan

American Quartet - Antonin Dvorak

“Third Construction” - John Cage

“Seven Days” - Kevin Bobo

“Two Fountains” - Kevin Bobo

“Three Etudes” - Kevin Bobo

“Echoes” - Kevin Bobo

“French Flies” - Kevin Bobo

“Dried Embryos” - Erik Satie

Anthony DiSanza

Sandi Rennick

Ed Smith

Paquito D’Rivera

Lalo Davila

Brian Mueller

No Country for Old Men trailer

The Evil Dead trailer

Basket Case trailer

Nights in Rodanthe trailer

Alamo Drafthouse

Quentin Tarantino

The Life Aquatic trailer

A Game of Thrones - George R. R. Martin

Sons of Anarchy trailer

Breaking Bad trailer

The Sopranos trailer

Troy Polamalu highlights

Sheik Yerbouti - Frank Zappa

“Rock N Roll McDonalds” - Wesley Willis

Ruth Underwood

“Dream-Ing” - Complete

Felix Colgrave

David Lynch

Raves:

What the Constitution Means to Me - Playbill

Southern Oregon University Percussion Professor Terry Longshore stops by to talk about his job at the University, building a program, and his very active chamber and freelancing performance career (02:35), growing up in Fresno (CA) and his early background on a variety of instruments (32:20), attending Fresno State University for his first undergrad degree, playing regular gigs, and what he learned majoring in computer programming (42:40), his non-music job out of undergrad, then heading to Sacramento State (CA) to study music (56:40), his time as a grad student at the University of California-San Diego and learning under the mentorship of Steven Schick (01:07:30), his first teaching position in North Dakota and how he negotiated for a better job title (01:19:15), and settles in for the Random Ass Questions, including segments on percussion stereotypes, impressions, challenging circumstances, making hummus, wedding songs, great movies and books, and being inspired by music he’s currently performing (01:26:45).

Finishing with a Rave on the 2013 film About Time (01:59:15).

Terry Longshore Links:

Terry Longshore’s website

Terry Longshore’s SOU page

Terry Longshore’s Marimba One page'

Rogue Valley Symphony

Previous Podcast Guests mentioned:

Steven Schick in 2025

Hannah Weaver in 2021

Other Links:

Tessa Brinckman

Grant Ruiz

Juri Seo

Shawn Glyde

David Glyde

Guide to Teaching Percussion - Ronald Holloway

Daniel Kennedy

“Third Construction” - John Cage

“Synchronisms No. 5” - Mario Davidovsky

George Lewis

Miller Puckette

Beginners trailer

A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry

The River Why - David James Duncan

Braiding Sweetgrass - Robin Wall Kimmerer

Justin DeHart

“Got My Mind Set on You” - George Harrison

How to Read a Book - Monica Wood

"Losing Earth” - Adam Schoenbert

Raves:

About Time trailer

Northwestern University (IL) Professor of Percussion She-e Wu returns to talk about staying at the University of North Texas to attend grad school and study composition (01:45), teaching and performing out of grad school, and her year teaching at the University of West Virginia (09:45), her decade teaching at Rutgers (NJ), building up the facilities, and negotiating for her current job (24:30), and finishing with the Random Ass Questions, including sections about musicality and literature, great movies, books about chefs and her own awesome cooking skills, great athletes, a wild performance story, and an incredible botanical garden (37:30).

Finishing with a Rave on the TV series Freaks and Geeks and the documentary on the show (01:12:25).

She-e Wu Links:

Part 1 with She-e Wu

She-e Wu’s Northwestern page

She-e Wu’s Majestic Percussion page

She’e Wu’s Innovative Percussion page

Other Links:

Robert Schietroma

Paul Rennick

Joseph Klein

Ed Soph

Brian West

Ellie Mannette

Paschal Younge

Phil Faini

Dafnis Prieto

“Two Mexican Dances” - Gordon Stout

Concertino for Marimba - Paul Creston

“Northern Lights” - Eric Ewazen

Keiko Abe

“Etude Op. 6, No. 10” - Clair Omar Musser

“Suite for Percussion” - Lou Harrison

“Third Construction” - John Cage

“Ostinato Pianissimo” - Henry Cowell

The Motorcycle Diaries trailer

The Lives of Others trailer

Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning trailer

F1 trailer

Ratatouille trailer

Steph Curry

Federer: Twelve Final Days trailer

The Last Dance trailer

Raves:

Freaks and Geeks on Paramount Plus

Cultuershock - Freaks and Geeks: the Documentary