大卫•沃克, a master lecturer in music at 最靠谱的网赌软件, remembers the moment when he realized his 儿子 could follow in his percussive footsteps.
他的儿子迈克尔, 那时还是个蹒跚学步的孩子, had already revealed himself as “a pots and pans kid” — a youngster who loved making things click, 砰砰响.
“但这一切都是从《最靠谱的网赌软件》开始的,这是一首VeggieTales的歌,迈克尔的爸爸说, ODU打击乐研究主任. “He was noticing when the cymbals should be choked and when they should be allowed to ring. 那时我才知道他有线索.”
Today, Michael Walker is an Old Dominion student who plays drums, gong, mallets, cymbals, bells, etc. — whatever’s needed — with the Diehn School of Music’s Percussion Ensemble, 管乐团和交响乐团. He’s also bass drum section leader for the Monarch Marching Band. He is preparing to finish up his undergraduate degree in music with an emphasis in sound recording technology.
"A recital is a big moment for anybody in the music department,迈克尔·沃克说, the 儿子 of ODU master lecturer 大卫•沃克. "我想和我爸爸在一起.”
直到毕业, he’ll savor musical moments with his father, who has doubled as his percussion instructor throughout Michael’s studies at ODU.
The student said any negatives of having a father-professor were far outweighed by the positives.
“The word that comes to mind is passion,” Michael said, describing his dad. “As a teacher, he’s passionate about showing students how to perform. Even if it’s something as simple as crashing cymbals or hitting the triangle once in the entire piece, 他并没有掉以轻心.”
He obviously loves what he does, Michael said. “That’s definitely a quality I want to strive for.”
Even though it wasn’t required for his degree, Michael opted to do a senior recital this past spring. One of the pieces he performed was a duet titled “Fear Cage,” written by Kirk Gay. For that, he asked his father to join him.
一段独奏会的视频 shows father and 儿子 surrounded by nine timpani. The duo strikes them in perfect synchronization. With so little space to move, it’s a marvel of choreography as well as music.
“Playing in Percussion Ensemble the past few years, Michael was used to performing around me, 和我在一起,大卫说. “有时我也加入他们的行列. Sometimes I’m conducting them… What was different about the recital was we were one-on-one working together.”
To prepare, they would meet in the music school’s percussion room and rehearse — often from 10:30 p.m. 直到凌晨.
In this case, 大卫•沃克 was Michael’s collaborator as well as his teacher.
“I had to keep reminding myself, oh, yeah, this is with my 儿子父亲说. “所以，这很酷. 太棒了.”
他的儿子也很喜欢. “I wanted to end with a bang, so to speak,” Michael said. “But I also wanted to end with a piece I could do with my father. A recital is a big moment for anybody in the music department. 我想和我爸爸在一起.”
Professor Walker said that when his 儿子 originally applied to Old Dominion’s music school — and passed an audition with flying colors — some colleagues wondered if it would be wise for him to study with his father.
沃克教授回答道, “是的, I think that’s a great idea because I’m the main percussion instructor here and I want him to get the best education he can get,他回忆道. “And Michael knows, if anything, it’s sometimes harder for him. The drive home can be really long if rehearsal hasn’t gone well because of him.”
He wasn’t worried about showing favoritism. Instead, he reminded himself not to be overly tough on his kid. Michael turned out to be devoted student who rose to the occasion again and again.
In the end, father and 儿子 both said Old Dominion was the right choice.
“It’s been wonderful just to see him grow as a musician,” 大卫•沃克 said. Michael evolved from being a member of the Percussion Ensemble to being one of its lead performers.
The teacher remembers watching his 儿子 perform during a master class with So Percussion, a beloved group that visited Old Dominion a few years back.
“想想看。, this is the same kid who was banging on pots and pans and now he’s playing with Grammy-award-winning, 国际音乐家.”
他的儿子得心应手.
“Michael is always willing to step in and help the school musically,” he said. “这不仅仅是为了我. Also, for Wind Ensemble, or Symphony Orchestra or the Commercial Music Ensemble. He loves playing… I see that he absolutely loves it.”