UC San Diego

Early studies in percussion often begin with the development of pulse, rhythm, meter, and tempo. These components are commonly considered to be the immediate aspects of musical time. As an individual develops their playing, pulse, rhythm, meter, and tempo evolve into broader notions of time; quantities of time develop qualities of time, and various kinds of musical time emerge. It is in this consideration that I locate the identity of the 21st century percussionist. Percussion is the study of time, and percussionists are time beings. This document serves as an exploration of time as it is understood, experienced, and realized through the framework of percussion. Initial chapters probe time broadly, examining some ways in which it can be mapped. Later chapters focus on specific works for and with percussion as a means of illustrating distinct features of time.