Here’s how you can put together a dynamic percussion ensemble performance in just a few rehearsals that will be a dramatic call to attention for any event!

On this page you’ll discover how I took a group of musicians that couldn’t even play drums and got them to groove like star performers!

Dear Music teaching Friend,

I don’t know if you’ve ever been in this situation – Its near the end of the year, and the school principal says to you – Wouldn’t it be GREAT if we could have a percussion ensemble play a little “Fanfare” at the school speech day?

(Speech Day is what we call our school Graduation Day in Australia – It's usually a big event for the whole school, parents and community)

The only problem is…. the Senior Percussion group has finished for the year! There really isn’t anyone around who can do it!

Still… being the percussion man I wasn’t going to let an opportunity slip by to build the percussion program in the school….… So I got together a bunch of students who could all play other instruments and I wrote this piece especially for the occasion.

They originally wanted a Fanfare – something to open the speech day that would be formal, short, snappy, and fun, and call attention to the day.

Formal and Fun together seemed like a bit of a challenge, so I thought I'd give it a go....

I also kept the instrumentation very simple – so that it could be played with a minimal amount of instruments which are:

• 3 Timpani
• Snare Drum
• Tom Tom
• Bongos
• Ago-go Bell
• Tambourine
• WoodBlocks

Seven players were all I had access to at the time… however I have since used this piece heaps of times and it is infinitely adaptable to your ensemble.

The piece opens with a little Duet with the Snare and Tom Tom, and then the Timpani takes over with its opening Groove:

Once the groove settles down again the Snare and Tom again come out to the fore – This way you can really highlight these two drummers, or if you have extras you can double them up.

I never had access to Drum Corps instruments, but this is what this bit reminded me of – I could imagine dueling Snare and Tenor players grooving with this over the backing groove.

This follows with a few “stop time” sections that again highlight the Snare and Tom Tom parts:

A repeat brings us to a dramatic conclusion at the Coda:

Smokin Like a Cuban is one of my favourite pieces, but don’t take my word for it – here is what one of the students had to say:

This Music Works – Or Your Money Back I’ve partnered with the Fun Music Company to bring you this website, and they have a very strict rule. NO MUSIC can be published unless it WORKS! They simply wont publish anything unless it has been tried and tested in school situations.. and the reason is this… Your Satisfaction is 100% Guaranteed Yes.. that’s right. The Fun Music Company is the only music publishing company I’m aware of that if the piece doesn’t meet your expectations they’ll give you your money back! No Questions. No Hassles.. just contact them within 30 days and let them know why, and they’ll happily refund your money. Infact.. if they didn’t have that rule I’d insist they did!

Super Bonus CD Quality Recording

The Fun Music Company insisted that I get a studio to put together a quality recording, which you’ve been listening to on this website. The samples you’ve heard are compressed, but the included recording is a CD Quality mp3.

I also don’t mind if you distribute the recording to your students. They can download it to their media players, or burn it to CD’s

Enjoy! That’s what music is for!

Don’t wait… get it now at the website launch price!

Smokin Like a Cuban's regular price will be $29.90, but since this is the launch of my new website I’m going to sell it at just $19.90 for a limited time.

$19.90 (AUD) is such a small price to pay for a piece of music that works as effectively as “Smokin Like a Cuban”, and I know that you'll get years of value out of this piece.

And Don’t forget you are completely covered by our 100% Money Back Guarantee.

Up and On!