CST Entertainment Productions
Welcome to the CST School of Percussion web site. Our school provides percussion instruction in all areas of percussion including concert, marching, youth orchestra, drum set, solo & ensemble for middle and high school students in band programs, Honor Band and Allstate auditions. 6th grade students are at the perfect age to begin learning an instrument as they can utilize these skills in band classes at their middle school.
In addition to percussion Barry also teaches electric bass beginning students on fundamentals of bass focusing on proper left and right hand technique and reading bass clef.
Lessons are 30 minutes once a week at a cost of $25 per half hour at the CST Entertainment Productions Studio in Mandarin, FL.
Enjoy looking through the site and please contact us with any questions.
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Concert Percussion-The Best Start.
Getting off to a great start and laying a solid foundation is critical when learning any instrument especially percussion. Here at CSTSOP students begin with good fundimentals that will apply to all instruments in the family.
Snare Drum
Snare drum. Beginners will work with a practice pad, snare sticks and a method book and will cover grip and technique (holding the sticks correctly) basic music theory as well as good posture and playing position. These skills are essential in the development and will define their playing ability for many years to come.
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Timpani
Timpani-instruction includes developing proper timpani grip and technique, posture, development of a good sound from the drums, ear training and tuning, studies on reading of bass clef.
Mallets
Mallets-students will learn to read treble and bass clef, mallet notation as well as scales, Key signatures and the fundamentals of mallet instruments. Marimba, Xylophone, chimes, orchestra bells are all covered.
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Drum set
Drum set- our drum set instruction utilizes all of the skills learned on snare drum and applies them to drum set starting with the development of basic coordination and simple rock beats. From there learning to play fills and understanding the flow around the kit is imperative to becoming a well rounded drum set player. Styles include rock, jazz and latin.
Our school also assists students who want to audition for one of the Jacksonville Symphony Youth Orchestras or, are a member of one of these groups and need assistance with the orchestral literature. Barry spent 20 years as a section percussionist with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra and is well versed in the percussion repetoire.
Marching Percussion-Hitting the right Beat.
Marching instruction includes learning the basic 26 essential rudiments used in all percussion, especially marching. These include the roll family, diddle family flam family and drag family. Our goal is to prepare middle school students entering high school for the riggers of marching band by strengthening and conditioning the arms and hands. We also provide these services to high school students who are weak or need additional help in these areas.
What the students say.
"My dear friend and the man who really helped shape me into the musician I am today is Mr. Barry Olsavsky.
"He’s given me more than I could ever ask for and helped stir a passion for music in me that I pray will never die."
"His talent as a percussionist and passion to share his gift of music has been the greatest inspiration for me on so many levels."-Matt Hein
