Honored for his work as a performer, composer, and educator, Robert McCormick is a recipient of the Florida Music Educator of the Year Award; the Grand Prize in the Keystone Percussion Composition Award; and the prestigious Percussive Arts Society Lifetime Achievement in Education Award. He is the Founder and Director of the McCormick Percussion Group, the McCormick Marimba Festival, and served for 45 years as a faculty member at the University of South Florida where he earned its Distinguished Teacher Award.
Often performing with high profile artists of all genres, Mr. McCormick served for 20 seasons as the Principal Percussionist
and Assistant Timpanist with the Florida Orchestra, and was also a member of the Harry Partch Ensemble. In 2010, he conducted the premiere performance of Chan Hae Lee’s Korean folk opera Simcheongga at the National Center of Performing Arts in Seoul. And in March of 2014 he performed the world premiere of Baljinder Sekhon’s Double Percussion Concerto at Carnegie Hall with percussionist Lee Hinkle. Moreover, he has received several Global Music Awards, as well as critical acclaim from composers and scholars for his recordings with the McCormick Percussion Group, and McCormick Duo; many of which are on the Ravello label and distributed by Naxos.
When did you begin studying music?
I began studying music in elementary school in Perry, Ohio.
Did you always study percussion?
Percussion was always the forte, though I studied piano in high school and my early years in college.
What made you choose percussion?
Like most kids, I just liked to bang on everything. Life is rhythm.
Who were your primary teachers?
My primary teachers were: Anthony Cirone, Forrest Clark who was with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Danlee Mithchell who was with the Harry Partch Ensemble.
When did you decide to pursue a career in music?
I decided to pursue a music career by my early teens.
Did you have a specific goal: teach, compose, etc.?
I am not sure I had a specific goal in mind; I just loved music.
Do you focus on a specific area of percussion, if so, did you always?
I don’t focus on a specific area or style of percussion. I am pretty much equally as good, and/or equally as bad on the major percussion groups.
Who impacted your musical growth the most?
Anthony Cirone inspired my joy of orchestral and concert percussion. Danlee Mitchell introduced me to Harry Partch, and started my long interest in contemporary classical music. Of course, I have always learned from the conductors, composers, and performers whom I worked with. This list should also include my students who were often a major source of my musical growth.
What teaching positions have you held?
I taught at the University of South Florida (USF) in Tampa for 45 years, and prior to USF, I taught one year as an interim instructor at Florida State University.
What percussionists have inspired you the most?
Several percussionists have inspired me, including my former colleagues in the Florida Orchestra: John Bannon, Dave Coash, and Kurt Grissom. When you work with the same section for several years, they influence your sense of sound, phrasing, color etc. Others include: Neil Grover, Lee Hinkle, Doug Walter, Nancy Zeltsman, and Janis Potter for their imagination and great ears. Last, but not least, Les Percussions De Strasbourg for their significant contribution to percussion ensemble literature.
Is there a specific genre you enjoy performing the most?
I enjoy performing in every genre: from the master composers to commercial music.
What composers do you identify with?
I always enjoyed working with composers who were outside of the mainstream, or who were deserving of wider recognition. I would often commission them to write for percussion with the addition of a non-percussion instrument or voice, to create a more diverse repertoire. Composers whom I have commissioned are: Daniel Adams, Stuart Smith, Matt Barber, Baljinder Sekhon, John Liberatore, Chihchun Lee, Michael Timpson, Paul Reller, and Emily Koh to name but a few.
Do you get nervous before you play?
Mental preparation is critical, for it is always a challenge to keep nerves under control, especially when performing exposed parts with an orchestra. I would suggest limiting caffeine and getting as much rest as needed. I also highly recommend watching many of the Rob Knopper videos on this subject.
Do you ever make a mistake while performing?
How many perfect baseball games have been pitched? It has been said: What is the most important element, human expression, or human perfection? Of course, one must minimize mistakes and identify the issue to solve the problem. Work consistently on consistency; for the more ways one prepares, the better chance for accuracy and consistency.
Has your practice regimen changed from when you were a student?
I am now semi-retired at age 76. I rent a studio in an old theater in Tampa, and I go there almost every day to practice. I enjoy practicing immensely and always have. During the busy season, I mostly worked on music I am scheduled to perform. During the slow summer season, I try to learn new literature and refine any musical issues I am having. It is always difficult to stay in shape on the primary percussion instruments. I would often practice the weakest instrument first, then move on to the others as time permitted. For instance, I used to keep an old tambourine in my van and practice at stop lights, or when I got to a gig too early. To keep one’s mind fresh, I recommend studying music, or musical styles that you are less familiar with.
What usually inspires you to compose?
Since I was always around gifted composers, I limited myself to writing – just a few works when I thought I had a unique idea. I dedicated two of my favorite works: Three Dances for Solo Timpani to my long-time friend Neil Grover; and Portraits of a Waltz for Solo Snare Drum to Anthony Cirone. A somewhat recent snare solo I composed: Is Ubiquity the Opposite of Art, which explores timbrel ideas, was written for percussionist Ralph Sorrentino.
How do you define a good musician and a good teacher?
Music has so many different meanings, functions, schools of thought etc. I don’t think I can adequately define a good musician, composition, or a good teacher. There were many times I started studying a piece of music, and thought it was a terrible piece. After I learned the piece, it often turned out to be both outstanding and inspiring! In general, I have found it much easier to teach technique, and much more difficult to teach the concepts of music and art. I believe Albert Einstein said: I never teach my students. I only provide the conditions in which they can learn. While I was fortunate to have many successful students, I always believe that students are their own best teacher. I believe that the best teachers are passionate, curious, industrious, and present challenging ideas.
Do you think that performing and teaching are intrinsically intertwined?
My own teaching and performing are intertwined in so many ways. I have always benefited from working with different conductors, performers, composers, and sharing their musical concepts with my students.
Has teaching made you a better musician?
Teaching certainly made me a better musician. When you analyze the performance of a student, you also analyze the performance of yourself. When a student presents an interpretation of a work, the teacher learns something new. It has been said that music has the ability to reinvent itself.
Would you change anything about how you prepared for your career?
I am not sure that I would change anything. I was very lucky to have the best teachers and opportunities at the right time. The music business is much more competitive today, and requirements for developing music based careers have changed quite a bit in recent times.
What are the McCormick Duo and McCormick Percussion Group?
The McCormick Duo was started when I met my wife Kim who is an outstanding flutist. We toured, commissioned, and recorded a number of works for flute and percussion. Whereas the McCormick Percussion Group (MPG) was formed with the idea of commissioning, performing, and recording works by outstanding composers; many of whom I felt were deserving of wider recognition. I always looked for composers whose primary discipline was composition and not percussion performance. While there are some excellent percussionists who are also very fine composers, I tried to avoid works based on repetitive rhythms or other overused musical cliches. I was also very interested in commissioning chamber works that used non-percussion instruments: voice, or computer generated sounds combined with percussion. The MPG recordings often featured non-percussion soloists with the ensemble. We recorded at the Springs Theatre in Tampa, which was redesigned as a recording studio by our engineer John Stephan. Many of the CD’s are listed on our website, and are still available on major internet sites.
What words of wisdom would you share with a students?
Everyone plays well today, and most every university music school provides a richly rewarding educational opportunity. A career in music is certainly a career of uncertainties which can be sometimes disappointing and sometimes exciting. Often, the players who are most successful are quite versatile and can adapt to each unique situation. So I believe it is important to be both well rounded and somewhat of a specialist at the same time. Take advantage of every opportunity both in and outside of your school. Participate in summer festivals; and in addition to your school, there are great programs teaching repertoire on the internet. Start a website and your own YouTube channel; volunteer for your local PAS chapter; and try to write articles and get published. Remember, you are your own best teacher!
If you would like to learn more about Mr. McCormick, please visit his website at:
