#440 She-e Wu- Percussionist, Educator, Composer, and More!
This week’s guest is She-e Wu! She-e has appeared as a solo artist at the 25th, 27th, and 30th Percussive Arts Society International Convention; Journées de la Percussion, NancyPhony Festival, perKumania festival, and PercuPassion Festival in France; Bach Symposium/Bach Variation Festival in Lincoln Center; Taiwan Connection concert at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center; International Percussion Festival and InterAmerican Music and Arts Festival Orchestra in Puerto Rico; Festival Internacional de Percusion "Ritmo Vital 2001" and National Percussion Convention in Spain; Fukui Marimba Seminar in Japan; Giornate della Percussione in Italy; Percussion Festival in Greece; Taipei International Percussion Convention, and many other festivals. She has performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall and Symphony Center, Chicago Chamber Musicians, and the Philadelphia Orchestra Chamber Music Series in Pearlman Hall at the Kimmel Center. Ms. Wu has performed as guest recitalist and clinician at universities, colleges, and conservatories in France, Belgium, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, England, Scotland, Germany, Spain, Greece, Japan, and Korea, as well as American music institutions and numerous PAS Days of Percussion throughout the United States.
Ms. Wu's composition Blue Identity was written for Frederic Macarez and the Paris Conservatory CNR percussion ensemble. Blue Identity was premiered in Paris at the Journées de la Percussion festival, and the American premiere took place at the 27th Percussive Arts Society International Convention. K-PAX, a piece for marimba duo, was commissioned by the Taipei International Percussion Convention in 2002 and was premiered in Taiwan and Japan. UP!, for solo percussion and seven percussionists, received its premiere at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago in December 2009. The world premiere of Ms. Wu's latest composition, What the Sun Would Say to the Sky, for marimba quartet, was premiered at PASIC 2011 in Indianapolis.
Ms. Wu has commissioned and premiered numerous works by Eric Ewazen, Ronald Caltabiano, Robin Engleman, Gerald Chenoweth, and many others. Ms. Wu's recent commissions are pieces written by Lee Hyla, Paul Lansky, and Dafnis Prieto. The world premiere of the percussion concerto with wind ensemble written by Paul Lansky is scheduled for January 2015 with the Northwestern University Symphonic Wind Ensemble. Ms. Wu has served as a judge for the Paris International Marimba Competition, Greece International Competition, Italy International Competition, Atlanta Snare Drum Competition, PASIC Marimba Competition, P.A.S. Composition Competition (Large Percussion Ensemble), and International Percussion Ensemble Competition (College).
Ms. Wu's recordings include Marimba Concerto by Eric Ewazen with the International Sejong Soloists, solo marimba CD Snapshot, Suite for Marimba and Flute by Alec Wilder with flautist Bart Feller, A Set of Songs and Dances by Doug Hill featuring Gail Williams on horn, and a chamber music recording with the American Brass Quintet of music by David Sampson. Her recording of Nos. 1, 2, and 3 of the Six Suites for Solo Cello by J. S. Bach, with Baroque embellishments by George B. Stauffer, was released in fall of 2014.
Ms. Wu is a clinician and recitalist for the Majestic, Mapex, Innovative Percussion, and Evans and Zildjian companies. Her signature mallets with Innovative Percussion are available worldwide. She plays on a concert marimba of her design by Majestic. Ms. Wu is associate professor of music and the head of the percussion program at Northwestern University.
R.I.P.
Rest in peace to the great Jose Luis “Changuito” Quintana. José Luis Quintana [January 18, 1948 – June 6, 2025], better known as “Changuito,” is considered one of the architects of modern Afro-Cuban percussion. His legacy as a timbalero, innovator of the songo rhythm, and global educator places him among legendary figures such as Tito Puente and Mongo Santamaría. As Peter Manuel notes, “The evolution of Afro-Cuban percussion in the second half of the twentieth century cannot be understood without the figure of Changuito, who redefined the role of the percussionist in popular dance music” -Article
Here’s another musical tribute to the master percussionist from the “Tipico Jam” video.
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday to Joe Bergamini! Joe maintains a diverse career as a drumming performer and educator. Enjoying various styles of playing, he is known for his progressive rock drumming in the bands Happy the Man and 4Front, and currently tours with The Doo-Wop Project. Based in the New York area, Joe has worked extensively on Broadway. In 2018, he held the drum chair for the Broadway production of Gettin’ the Band Back Together, and he has also performed at over 15 other shows including Movin’ Out, Jersey Boys, Rock of Ages, In the Heights, Beautiful (The Carole King Musical), Hamilton, The Lion King, Million Dollar Quartet, and others. Joe has also appeared on the first national tours of Movin’ Out, Jersey Boys and Beautiful, and with many major symphony orchestras including the Philly Pops and the Detroit, Toronto, Cincinnati, Nashville, Seattle, San Diego, Indianapolis and Vancouver Symphony Orchestras.
A best-selling drum set author, Joe has written authorized musical biographies with drumming legends including Neil Peart: Taking Center Stage (winner of Best Educational Product in the 2013 Modern Drummer Readers Poll), GADD: A Life in Time, COBHAM: The Drumming and Music of Billy Cobham, and Stewart Copeland: Drumming in The Police and Beyond. He is also the author of The Working Drummer’s Chart Book, Drum Techniques of Led Zeppelin, and several other books. As the Senior Drum Editor for Hudson Music since 2009, Joe has worked closely with many of the world’s greatest drummers, acting as editor on books with Steve Gadd, David Garibaldi, Steve Smith, Liberty DeVitto, Mark Guiliana, Tommy Igoe, Stanton Moore, Todd Sucherman, and many others. He is the co-founder, with his late teacher Dom Famularo, of Wizdom Media, an independent publishing company with books distributed by Alfred Music. Since 2015, Joe has been Education Consultant for Sabian, designing and directing the Sabian Education Network for drum teachers.
Recognized internationally as an educator, Joe has given hundreds of drum clinics in schools, retail stores, and conventions. He has appeared at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) multiple times, the Ultimate Drummers Weekend (Melbourne, Australia), the Cape Breton Drum Festival (Nova Scotia, Canada), KOSA (Vermont, USA), the Sonny Emory Drum Camp (Atlanta, USA), and has done two clinic tours for Tama Drums. He has been teaching privately at his own studio for over 30 years. Among Joe’s many private students who have gone on to pro careers is world-renowned jazz drummer Mark Guiliana. Joe proudly endorses Tama drums, Sabian cymbals, Vic Firth sticks, Evans drumheads, Latin Percussion, and Cympad.
Happy Birthday to Paul Amorese! Paul is an American drummer and percussionist from Rochester, New York. He has performed and toured with a variety of musical groups, including Bacci, the WMDs, The Commuters, Jack Dishel and Only Son, Visible from Space, Bryan Scary, Hypnotic Clambake, Boutros Boutros, and goodbyemotel.
He also started a company called Buddi Systems.
Happy Birthday to Dr. Chris Hanning! Chris is a Professor of Percussion at West Chester University, a recording artist for NFL Films, and performs with the Peter Paulsen Quintet, the Bach Festival Orchestra of Bethlehem, and Philadelphia's premier contemporary music ensemble Relâche. His performing has taken him throughout Europe and the United States with engagements at such prestigious venues as Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and Royal Albert Hall in London. In 2006 he released Island Grooves, an instructional drum set DVD that received a 4 1/2 out of 5 star rating from Modern Drummer magazine. Chris has recorded several CD's with Relâche, the Bach Choir of Bethlehem, David Liebman and the Manhattan Saxophone Quartet, and a new release with the Peter Paulsen Quintet titled Goes Without Saying. Chris performed on numerous recordings for NFL Films over the past twelve years including several Emmy Award Winning projects. You can hear Chris every year when the Lombardi Trophy music is played during the Super Bowl. He is currently co-writing music with long time NFL Films composer and producer Tom Hedden. You can check out some of his music at firstcom music . Chris is an artist/clinician for Vic Firth, Pearl/Adams, Remo, Zildjian, and Panyard and has presented clinics at Universities, conventions, and percussion festivals across the United States and abroad. Chris also chairs the Percussive Arts Society Contest and Audition Procedure Committee and serves on the PAS Board of Directors.
Happy Birthday to Mike Robinson! Mike is a Los Angeles Based drummer with years of touring and recording experience. He has performed live and/or on record with K.Flay, Del Water Gap, JOSEPH, Blame My Youth, morgxn, The Chain Gang of 1974 and many more. He also host’s the podcast and instagram page, Food on Tour.
Gig Alerts
The San Francisco Jazz Festival is happening in San Francisco from June 13th-15th.
The Blue Note Jazz Festival at the Hollywood Bowl is happening in Los Angeles from June 14th-15th.
The Winnipeg International Jazz Festival is happening in Winnipeg Canada from June 17th-22nd.
The Festival Forró da Lua Cheia is happening in Altinópolis, Brazil from June 19th-22nd.
Pink Pop Festival is happening in the Netherlands from June 20th-22nd.
Summer Jam Festival is happening in Eau Claire, WI from June 20th-21st.
The Mountain Jam Festival is happening in Highmount, NY on Belleayre Mountain from June 20th-22nd.
Damon will be playing for the Big Band Jubilee presented by The Soapbox Presents in Harlem on Juneteenth (June 19th). The musical director is friend of the show Bryan Carter.
Educational Spotlight
There are only 6 SPOTS left for the Drum Fantasy Camp.
Iconic Recording
The iconic recording was Gamba Sonatas by J.S. Bach picked by She-e. Damon chose the “Sonata for Viola da Gamba and Harpsichord in G minor BWV 1029” performed by Rebeka Rusó - Viola da Gamba and Peter Waldner - Harpsichord.
Music News
Doja Cat, Tems, and J. Balvin will perform at the first FIFA halftime show in 2026. -Article
Two influential music industry groups, the Music Artists Coalition (MAC) and the National Independent Talent Organization (NITO) have thrown their support behind New York legislative bills A.8659 and S.8221. -Article
Sylvester Stewart, aka Sly Stone passed away at 82. -Article
Questlove helped put together a documentary in 2025 called Sly Lives!
Michael Stipe, Jason Isbell & Brandi Carlile Among Artists Featured On Album To Benefit Democracy Forward’s Legal Challenges -Article
Friend of the show, Javier Diaz and the rest of the cast, orchestra, and crew have just won five Tony awards.
She-e Wu Interview
The song leading into the interview is, “Suite No. 1 for Unaccompanied Cello in G Major, BWV 1007: I. Prelude” (Transcr. for Marimba), performed by She-e.
Shout-out to friend of the show, Chris Lamb and his frequency modifiers.
She-e talks about how she got into R&D with various instruments with the Majestic Percussion Company.
She-e talks about the other instruments she flirted with before percussion.
She-e still plays piano.
She talks about not being able to swim.
Damon mentions how friend of the show, Attis Clopton and how he overcame his fear of swimming.
She-e talks about her job duties and team at Northwestern University.
She also talks about her work at Manhattan School of Music.
She-e talks about her teaching facility.
She-e talks about studying and competing outside of school and the USA.
She-e was born in Taiwan. She learned English in school and then took extra classes.
The UNT Drumline were a big help in She-e’s english learning.
She-e studied with Mr. Ju from 3rd to 9th grade.
She-e taught at Rutgers University for 10 years before moving to Chicago for Northwestern.
She-e talks about scheduling and booking. She does it all by herself.
She talks about the different facets of music she enjoys and talks about not having time off.
Damon mentions this quote from Dr. Lisa Mosconi. She is an Italian American Neuroscientist & Women's Brain Health Specialist, educator, and author.
She says “So, sleep really is the only chance that your brain has to take care of itself. Because when you're awake, or even when you are at the early stages of sleep, your brain still needs to supervise your entire body. When you go through deep sleep, that's when your body's fully still, and the brain has a chance to have a little "me" time. And what happens is there is a system inside the brain that is very specifically activated during slow wave sleep, or deep sleep that is like, a little bit like a dishwasher in a way, where all the fluid comes out, and the brain takes a shower, quite literally. That is very important, because that's how it flushes out toxins and waste products, and Alzheimer's plaques, and all the enzymes and substances that have been degraded throughout the day. So, it's effectively a cleaning service that the brain is able to activate. And that can only happen during a specific time that we're sleeping.”
She-e talks about why she went to the University of North Texas as opposed to Vienna.
Shout-out Robert Schietroma and Ed Soph. She also talks about some of the people she was in school with.
She talks about her summer plans.
She-e picks the iconic recording. Shout-out to J.S. Bach.
Shout-out to Mr. Ju, “Doc” Schietroma, Ed Soph and J.S. Bach.
She-e uses Majestic Percussion, Innovative Percussion, Zildjian Cymbals, and Steve Weiss.
GO TO PASIC 50!!!
You can follow She-e on Facebook, and Instagram.
The song leading out of the interview is, “Suite No. 2 for Unaccompanied Cello in D Minor, BWV 1008: V. Minuet (Transcr. for Marimba)” performed by She-e.
