Percussion at SUU
Welcome to Southern Utah University Percussion! At SUU, we take pride in pursuing performance, creativity, and collaboration at the highest level. Surrounded by the stunning red rock landscapes of Cedar City, we draw inspiration from the outdoors as we explore the full spectrum of percussion—from classical artistry to global traditions. Our "total percussion" approach encourages versatility, collaboration, and excellence, and allows each individual to pursue their own passions and career paths through a personal curriculum, on-on-one lessons, and a wide variety of large and small ensembles.
Prospective Percussion Students
Thank you for your interest in percussion at Southern Utah University! Below are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about the percussion program.
How do I audition for SUU's Percussion program? You can find information about entrance and scholarship auditions on the SUU Music Department Admission & Auditions page.
What is required to audition for Percussion? It is desirable for applicants to play a solo piece in the following categories:
- Mallets: The selection should be chosen for musical content and technical difficulty (two-and-four-mallet work is desirable). Scales, arpeggios, and sight-reading may be required.
- Snare Drum: The selection should clearly demonstrate your level of technical ability. Rudiments, including an orchestra roll, at all dynamic levels may be required.
- Timpani: The selection should utilize two or more drums. Rolls with different dynamic levels on different drums should be demonstrated. Intonation and sight-reading abilities may be tested.
- Drum set and/or ethnic percussion is not required but may be included at the applicant's discretion.
Can I take private percussion lessons if I am not a music major? Yes, private instruction is available to students on a space-available basis; preference is given to those students participating in large ensembles.
Degrees Offered
Undergraduate
Graduate
- Music Education (M.M.)
- Music Technology (M.M.)
- Certificate
Percussion Ensembles
The Southern Utah University Percussion Ensembles perform historically significant works for percussion, contemporary percussion literature, novelty percussion, and traditional non-western percussion music. The ensembles are comprised of both music majors and non-majors and welcome students with a variety of levels of experience. Several performance opportunities are available to members of the Percussion Ensembles, including concerts, performances and other promotional events for the College of Performing and Visual Arts and concerts on and off campus.
- Concert Percussion Ensemble
- Brazilian Pagode Ensemble
- Vanguard New Music Ensemble
- World Percussion Ensemble
- Commercial Music Ensembles
- Jazz Ensembles
- Marching Band/Drumline
- Wind Symphony
- Symphonic Band
- Symphony Orchestra
- Musical Theatre Ensemble
- Dance Accompaniment
Frequently Asked Questions
SUU prides itself on being a tight-knit, supportive community that puts quality teaching and meaningful relationships first. Our student population is half that of other major universities in the state, which allows us to really know and support you one-on-one. Our connection to the outdoors also allows percussionists to experience the beautiful Southwest in a whole new way, with annual percussion outings and performances among impressive red rock landscapes. Finally, every SUU Percussion student follows a personalized curriculum designed specifically for their goals and plans. We don't believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. Whether your focus is teaching, performing, or production—on drumset, marimba, or ethnic percussion—we want you to succeed at being you. Together, we'll create a plan to help you get there.
Yes. All Music majors and scholarship applicants audition for admission. Each person is asked to perform a solo/etude of their choice on snare drum, mallets, and timpani (and drum set if possible). Don't stress! We're looking for potential, not perfection. The audition is also a chance for you to interview us and see if we're a good fit. Come with questions ready. You can audition at any time throughout the year, but the best time is at one of our on-campus audition days. Scholarships are determined in early March, so those hoping to receive funding must complete their audition on or before our final audition day. Detailed audition dates and requirements are available on our Auditions page.
SUU Music Audition Information SUU Percussion Audition Requirements
Absolutely! SUU offers many performance and academic scholarships for qualified students. Scholarship amounts range from our full-tuition Presidential Scholarship to the $500 Z-Music Scholarship. All music scholarship applicants must audition by the posted deadline to be considered. Some scholarships are renewable each year based on participation and academic standing.
Yes. Students who are unable to complete an in-person audition are welcome to submit a pre-recorded video audition or a live virtual audition. All deadlines and requirements still apply. Recommendations and best practices for recorded auditions can be downloaded below.
Our Percussion area is fully equipped with nearly a dozen drumsets, half a dozen high-end marimbas, three sets of timpani, and every other concert percussion instrument you could think of. We also own a full set of chromed steel pans from Trinidad and Tobago, an array of African, Cuban, and Brazilian instruments, and more. Students have access to several practice rooms, a dedicated Percussion studio, and performance spaces like the Heritage Center Theater and Thorley Recital Hall. We're excited to announce that in the fall of 2026, we will move into our new George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Music Center with a state-of-the-art concert hall, percussion studio, and rehearsal and practice rooms.