A member of the Percussive Arts Society’s Hall of Fame, Neil W. Grover is an accomplished music educator, author, composer, and former Chair of the Percussion Programs at both The Boston Conservatory, and the University of Massachusetts Lowell. He is probably best known as the founder of Grover Pro Percussion Inc., where his innovative designs and cutting-edge manufacturing techniques have set a new standard for the ergonometric functionality of modern day percussion instruments. He and his company have been featured in many publications including: Percussive Notes, Modern Drummer, School Band & Orchestra, Musical Merchandise Review and on two episodes of the Discovery Channel’s series How It’s Made. Mr. Grover has written and/or co-authored five publications: Four Mallet Primer, Four Mallet Fundamentals, Art of Triangle & Tambourine Playing, Percussionist’s Cookbook, and The Art of Percussion Playing, all published by Meredith Music. He has also written articles for School Band & Orchestra, Percussive Notes, and Drum Tracks.
As one of the field’s most prolific and requested clinicians, he has given presentations at over 100 colleges and universities throughout the USA and
Canada. He is equally in demand overseas having led master classes at such venerable institutions as the Sydney Conservatory, Conservertoire de Paris, London’s Royal College of Music & Guildhall School, Royal Northern College of Music, Royal Conservatory, as well as throughout Japan, Korea, and Europe. Mr. Grover has been an invited clinician at over 50 state and international days of percussion, including the Texas Music Educators Association Conference, Midwest Band and Orchestra Conference, Iowa Bandmasters Convention, and to five the Percussive Arts Society International Conventions. Moreover, he has served on the Board of Directors of the Percussive Arts Society, as well as the Winchester Community Music School, which is one of America’s top community music schools.
At the young age of 23, Mr. Grover was appointed Principal Percussionist of the Opera Company of Boston, a position he held for seven seasons. As his career progressed, he found himself in demand for all musical genres including symphony, chamber music, ballet, opera, and commercial recordings. Highlights of his collaborations include the Royal Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Music from Marlboro, Indianapolis Symphony, Boston Musica Viva, and the Empire Brass. He was chosen to record the percussion tracks for Phillip Glass’ film soundtrack for Mishima. In addition, Neil appears as a Boston Pops percussionist in the hit movie Blown Away starring Jeff Bridges and Tommy Lee Jones. He has toured with Music From Marlboro, Boston Symphony, Henry Mancini, Boston Symphony Chamber Players, and the Broadway production of The Pirates of Penzance. Since 1977 he has performed, recorded and toured with the world-famous Boston Pops, where he has made music under the batons of Maestros Arthur Fiedler, John Williams, and Keith Lockhart.
Having performed regularly in the percussion section of the Boston Symphony for over 35 years, he has worked with Maestros Seiji Ozawa, James Levine, Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland, Colin Davis, Charles Dutoit, Neemi Jaarvi, Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos, Mstislav Rostropovich, and Bernard Haitink. It is noteworthy that Mr. Grover has performed in over 1,500 concerts as a percussionist with the BSO & Boston Pops.
His percussive talents have been heard by thousands at renown venues such as Boston’s Symphony Hall, Carnegie Hall, Chicago’s Orchestra Hall, festivals at Tanglewood, Hollywood Bowl, Wolf Trap, Blossom, and Ravinia. In addition, he has performed for millions of listeners through television and radio broadcasts on the NBC, CBS, NHK, PBS, A&E, and NPR networks. And at the request of composer John Williams, Mr. Grover joined the multimedia musical extravaganza, Star Wars In Concert, serving as Principal Percussionist on two legs of their North American Tour. He also holds the distinction of performing on the soundtrack for one of the most successful blockbuster movies of all time: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, as well as with the iconic rock band Aerosmith.
When did you begin studying music?
I began studying formally at nine, but since my father’s a great jazz musician, I grew up always listening to lots of great music.
Did you always study percussion?
I always studied drums and percussion, and in high school I also got very involved in composing.
What made you choose percussion?
I saw the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show in 1964 and liked Ringo Starr. But when I was 15, an older friend played me a recording of Varese’s Ionization, and I was hooked on percussion!
Who were your primary teachers?
They were Ronnie Benedict, Joseph Castka, Robert McCormick, and Vic Firth.
When did you decide to pursue a career in music?
In my sophomore year in high school.
Did you have a specific goal: teach, compose, etc.?
My goal has always been to make a living in music, whatever form that takes. I never wanted to limit myself to just one specific musical goal. More importantly, I strove to live a good life, and be happy.
Do you focus on a specific area of percussion, if so, did you always?
I am a believer in the old Total Percussion concept: to play instruments across the full range of the percussion family. My career took me on a path that involved a focus on playing cymbals and percussion accessories; often a percussionist’s focus is dictated not by the player, but by the opportunity.
Who impacted your musical growth the most?
As the saying goes, It takes a village. In addition to the wonderful teachers I previously mentioned, my father has been a huge influence, and was instrumental in my early development as a musician.
What teaching positions have you held?
I have taught at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, where I served as the Percussion Department Chairman; and Boston Conservatory where I served as the Head of the Percussion Program.
What percussionists have inspired you the most and why?
Vic Firth was the most inspirational percussionist I have known. He was not only one of the world’s foremost players, but he was a wonderful teacher, mentor, and colleague.
Is there a specific genre you enjoy performing the most?
Not really. I find great satisfaction in moving between various genres of music.
What composers do you identify with and why?
This is a difficult question to answer. The one who comes to mind is John Williams. I have been very fortunate to play hundreds of concerts with John; often playing his movie compositions. Performing soundtracks from works like Star Wars, Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, Jaws, etc., and with the composer has really been a very special experience!
Do you ever make a mistake while performing?
Yes – but don’t tell anybody. A wise teacher once said, The difference between an amateur and pro is that when an amateur makes a mistake everyone knows it. When a professional makes a mistake nobody knows. Music is a human experience, and an imperfect one at that! The value in mistakes is that they be viewed as a learning experience. Vic Firth used to say, Don’t make the same mistake twice!
Has your practice regimen changed from when you were a student?
Yes. It is difficult to impossible to achieve the same regimen as a student. As a busy pro I always practice instruments well in advance of when I have to perform. That said, my daily routine is 45 minutes of snare drum, usually on a practice pad while watching the evening news, and technique warm ups on xylophone. In addition, I have always used five minutes during rehearsal intermission to practice triangle, tambourine, etc.
When you are a student there is ample time for practice – if you choose to. As a professional with a family, time for practice becomes scarce, so it is imperative to use the limited practice time productively. My practice habits transitioned from spending a lot of time inefficiently practicing, to maximizing every minute available for practice. I like to think of it as practicing smarter rather than longer.
How do you define a good musician and a good teacher?
I have learned that some terrific players are not good teachers and some great teachers may not play well any longer. I view a good musician as a person who not only has good technique, but also possesses a musical style. The latter is harder to develop than the former and usually comes with musical maturity. When I was a student I focused primarily on technique. That is until a renowned string player once said to me, You play all the notes, but now you must learn to make music with them.
Do you think that performing and teaching are intrinsically intertwined?
Yes. As someone who always wanted to perform, I always preferred to study with a teacher who did what I ultimately wanted to do.
Has teaching made you a better musician?
Most definitely. Having to explain something, which I do instinctively, made me rethink my approach by breaking down a conditioned task into smaller pieces so that I could explain what I was actually doing! This allowed me to reevaluate how I was doing things.
What motivated you to start Grover Pro Percussion, and has its success exceeded your expectations?
It may surprise you to learn that I never intended to start a percussion company! The old adage, necessity is the mother of invention applies in my case. In the early 1970s there were no companies manufacturing high quality triangles, tambourines, and other percussion accessories. My first product, a triangle, was made solely so that I would have a great sounding instrument for my own personal use. What happened is that the word about the Grover Triangle got out, and apparently I was not alone in my quest for a great sounding triangle.
What motivates you to compose?
I have always liked the creative process. As a young boy I built model rockets, made wooden toys, developed intricate marble raceways, etc. Over the years I have also become a glassblower, which is just another art form, similar to composing music. You could say my motivation is the joy I get from making something. Regarding grade level, I am not an educational composer per se so I don’t gear my compositions for the educational marketplace.
Knowing what you know today, would you change anything about how you prepared for your career?
I would have widened my educational focus to include basic business and accounting courses. I was unprepared to face the entrepreneurial challenges of building a manufacturing company. If I had some business chops early in my career it would have been really helpful.
What words of wisdom would you share with a students?
My advice would be to avoid limiting your goals to specialize in just one area of the music world. Be open to all experiences and learning opportunities. Finally, in the words of the great baseball legend Yogi Berra, When you come to a fork in the road – take it.
If you would like to learn more about Mr. Grover and Grover Pro Percussion, Please visit: https://groverpro.com
