The Percussion Studio at the Conservatory of Music at University of the Pacific provides a rich, hands-on experience, with access to practice studios and rehearsal space that is equipped with the best percussion instruments available. Each year students are featured in our University Symphony Orchestra, Symphonic Wind Ensemble and our University Concert Band. The Pacific Percussion Ensemble allows students to explore a wide range of chamber pieces from many diverse composers.
Associate Professor of Practice
Dr. Jonathan Latta
Dr. Jonathan Latta is equally at home behind the timpani in an orchestra or playing marimba in a recital or drumset in a local rock band. He is a regularly performer in the orchestras throughout the Central Valley including the Stockton Symphony, Sacramento Philharmonic and Modesto Symphony. Recently, Dr. Latta has performed with the Sacramento Chamber Music Society and the San Francisco Contemporary Music Players. He also can be found conducting and playing drums for musical theatre in the region and behind the drumset as part of a local rock cover band. Contact Dr. Latta at jlatta@pacific.edu.
Teaching Philosophy
Every student in the Pacific Percussion Studio is provided access to top-of-the-line instruments and a variety of dedicated percussion practice settings. Through private study, goals are set each semester that provide a framework for the different areas of percussion studied each year.
Percussion students come to Pacific with many strengths and also areas for growth. Each semester is dedicated to growing in areas of percussion that need attention, while furthering passion and expertise on instruments in which there is already much experience.
Each percussion student creates her or his form of artistry through their individual approaches to the wide variety of percussion instruments. Through time spent in preparation in ensembles and lessons, the student experiences music from different cultures and a variety of settings that explore the percussive arts.
Studio Instruments
Pacific recently invested over $350,000 in percussion instruments to provide each student access to professional instruments in practice and performance. Every student has access to the highest quality of instruments, from Marimba One keyboard percussion instruments to Pearl and Black Swamp snare drums, to Zildjian cymbals and hand-crafted timpani by a variety of makers. Whether students come to Pacific to study music performance, music education, music therapy, or music management, these instruments are in their hands, helping them make the best music of their lives.
Special Opportunities
In addition to the access to the instruments and practice space, students are provided a wide variety of performance opportunities. Percussion students perform as part of the Wind Bands, Symphony Orchestra, Opera Orchestra, Pep Band and Pacific Percussion Ensemble. Through these settings, percussion students develop the artistic and organizational skills to be successful in countless areas of percussion performance.
Recent graduate accomplishments
Percussion graduates completed degrees in Music Education, Music Therapy and Music Performance.
- Music Education percussion graduates can be found teaching throughout California, while also actively performing in their areas.
- Music Therapy graduates actively use percussion skills in private and hospital care practices throughout the state.
- Percussion Performance graduates have developed freelancing careers and some have recently accepted assistantship opportunities in programs at the University of New Mexico and California State University, Fresno.
