Pete's Percussion Podcast - Pete Zambito

McGill University (QB) Percussion Professor and co-founder of the Percussion Group Sixtrum Fabrice Marandola stops by to talk about his job at McGill, his teaching career in France prior to moving to Canada, the nature of entrepreneurship, and supervising the new percussion space at the University (04:05), all things Sixtrum, along with the importance of applying for grants and being a nonprofit (27:10), growing up in central France and an overview of his career (42:30), the city of Paris and its relationship with the rest of the country, as well as his time as a French folk dancer (53:20), his undergrad years at the Superior National Conservatory of France, and his studies in music theory and harmony (01:09:30), his ethnomusicological background and his studies in Cameroon (01:17:50), and stays around for the Random Ass Questions, including discussions of sound production and musical re-creation, working and performing with his spouse, Kristie Ibrahim, great French authors, adventures in food, and inspiring art (01:29:30).
Finishing with a Rave on the best films of the 2026 True/False Documentary Film Festival (02:02:40).
Fabrice Marandola links:
Fabrice’s McGill page
Sixtrum
Previous Podcast Guests mentioned:
Kristie Ibrahim in 2024
Aiyun Huang in 2023
Gina Ryan in 2026
Megan Arns in 2017
Other Links:
TorQ Percussion Quartet
Percussions de Strasbourg
Frederic Macarez
Jacques Delécluse
“Psappha” - Iannis Xenakis
Apocalypse Now trailer
Red Grass - Boris Vian
Claude Levi-Strauss
Victor Hugo
Discourse on the Method - Rene Descartes
Raves:
True/False 2026

Principal Percussionist with the San Francisco Symphony and Director of Percussion Studies at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music Jake Nissly stops by to talk about both of his positions, the orchestral auditions process, his mentors, being versatile in many genres of percussion, and his experiences with the Detroit and Cleveland Symphonies (03:30), specifics about the Principal Percussion Duties and the excellence of Davies Symphony Hall (28:30), his teaching position and his recent commissioning projects (35:15), growing up in Iowa, having family in the arts, being a highly motivated young person, making early connections to Northwestern (IL) and percussion versatility (45:50), his undergrad years at Northwestern and studying with Michael Burritt (01:04:10), going to Juilliard (NYC), freelancing in New York, and eventually earning a spot in the New World Symphony (01:14:00), and finishing with the Random Ass Questions, including segments on working with young composers, his personal commitment to physical and mental health and long-distance running all over the world, lots of great books, memorable Chicago Cubs moments in his life, coaching his son’s baseball team, and the excellence of Steve Reich (01:20:15).
Finishing with a Rave on the 2026 Oscar Nominated Animated Short Films (01:58:40).
Jake Nissly links:
Jake’s SFSO page
Jake’s SFCM page
Jake’s Vic Firth page
Jake’s Aspen Music Festival page
Losing Earth - Adam Schoenberg
Previous Podcast Guests Mentioned:
Will James in 2017
Steven Schick in 2025
Patti Niemi in 2018
Matthew Coley in 2021
Eric Hollenbeck in 2025
David Skidmore in 2025
Sean Connors in 2025
Peter Martin in 2025
Robert Dillon in 2025
Other Links:
Percussion Concerto - Andy Akiho
Katherine Siochi
Rene Orth
PEAUX from Pleades - Iannis Xenakis
Doug Perkins
Michael Tilson Thomas
“Suire for Violin and American Gamelan” - Lou Harrison
San Francisco Symphony Musicians
Michael Burritt
Paul Wertico
James Ross
Gregory Zuber
Daniel Druckman
Roland Kohloff
Joseph Petrasek
Robert Klieger
Eric Renick
Michael Israelievitch
Sergio Carreno
Richard Weiner
Marc Damoulakis
California Percussion & Backline Rentals
How to Write for Percussion - Sam Solomon
Davies Symphony Hall
Jack van Geem
Haruka Fuji
Tito Muñoz
Clair Omar Musser
Colts Drum & Bugle Corps
Woody Smith
Michael Pfaff (“Tortilla Man”)
Bill Stewart
Dave Weckl
“If I Wanted To” - Melissa Etheridge
“Kiss from a Rose” - Seal
“Third Construction” - John Cage
Kris Keeton
Annie Stevens
“Michi” - Keiko Abe
Eric Garcia
Brett Dietz
“Kin” - Pat Metheny
The Usual Suspects trailer
Ghostbusters trailer
Groundhog Dog trailer
The Matrix trailer
Barbie trailer
1984 - George Orwell
On the Road - Jack Kerouac
Kafka on the Shore - Haruki Marukami
Absolutely on Music: Conversations on Seiji Ozawa - Haruki Marukami
Music Has a Right to Children - Boards of Canada
Cubs win the World Series
The Bartman Incident
B-Bop’s
Music for 18 Musicians - Steve Reich
Mallet Quartet - Steve Reich
Drumming: Part 1 - Steve Reich
Music for Pieces of Wood - Steve Reich
Clapping Music - Steve Reich
Raves:
The 2026 Oscars Animated Film Shorts Nominees

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Percussion Professor Alex Wier stops by to talk about his job at UWM, Present Music, Chamber Music Playing, and the culture of the arts in Milwaukee (03:10), growing up in St. Louis and Phoenix, his musical beginnings, marching band, and playing video games (24:50), attending the University of Arizona for undergrad (38:35), going to Northwestern University (IL) for his master’s and taking a break from school after the degree (49:40), getting his doctorate from Arizona State (01:04:45), and settles in for the Random Ass Questions, including segments on developing young percussionists, cooking for children, great movies, TV shows, and books, his varied sports fandoms, and unusual performance experiences (01:14:45).
Finishing with a Rave on the best of the 2026 Winter Olympics (01:39:15).
Alex Wier Links:
Alex Wier’s website
Alex Wier’s University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee page
Present Music
Previous Podcast Guests mentioned:
Norman Weinberg in 2017
She-e Wu in 2025
Andy Miller in 2026
Steve Hemphill in 2020
Jeff Hewitt in 2021
Josh Armstrong in 2018
Mike Sammons in 2022
Other Links:
“Threads” - Paul Lansky
“Timber” - Michael Gordon
JB Smith
Simone Mancuso
“Radio Rewrite” - Steve Reich
Jack Forbes
Gary Cook
James Ross
Mike Vercelli
Jonathan Latta
Wes Hawkins
“Six Japanese Gardens” - Kaija Saariaho
“Silver Streetcar for the Orchestra” - Alvin Lucier
“Dressur” - Mauricio Kagel
Interstellar trailer
Inception trailer
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift trailer
Eagle Eye trailer
Kurt Vonnegut
Packers-Bears 2025 Wild Card
Arrested Development Season 1
I’m Making a Giant Salad
Severance Season 1
Raves:
USA-Canada Gold Medal Women’s Hockey Game 2026
USA-Canada Gold Medal Men’s Hockey Game 2026
Alysa Liu’s Gold Medal Free Skate

Indiana University Lecturer in Music Andy Miller stops by to talk about his percussion position at IU and the opportunities for creative concert outlets (03:00), being on the 2025 PASIC New Music/Research panel on Percussion and Dance and his prior teaching position at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (22:15), growing up in Dayton (OH) and getting into music and sports (39:40), attending Wright State (OH) for undergrad (53:30), going to the University of Illinois for the Master’s and changing his career focus (01:00:10), winning a Fulbright Scholarship to study in Colombía, Bang on a Can, and working in commercial cabinetry (01:12:05), his doctoral studies at IU (01:26:45), and settles in for the Random Ass Questions, including discussions on student mental health, Momofuku noodles, great movies, video games, Dayton pizza, and the writing of Wendell Berry (01:33:30).
Finishing with a Rave on the 2025 animated film Arco (01:52:00).
Andy Miller Links:
Andy Miller’s IU page
Previous Podcast guests mentioned:
Alexandros Fragiskatos in 2021
Drew Tucker in 2026
Meridythe Witt in 2026
William Moersch in 2019
Fernando Meza in 2020
Other Links:
Michael Spiro
Wayne Wallace
Latin American Music Center
John Tafoya
Joseph Gramley
Christopher Lamb
Merce Cunningham
Beto Torrens
Jerry Noble
Ricardo Flores
Carlos Vives
Robert E. Brown Center for World Music
Mamady Keita
Bolo Conde
Giovanni Hidalgo
Juri Seo
Thomas Turino
“Rhythm Gradation” - Toshi Ichiuyanagi
Bang on a Can Summer Festival
“2x5” - Steve Reich
Jorge Alabé
Lars and the Real Girl trailer
The Room trailer
Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Hollow Knight trailer
Underworld trailer
Marion’s Pizza
Wendell Berry
Raves:
Arco trailer

Orlando (FL) - based Percussionist and Dancer Meridythe Witt stops by to talk about performing as a dancer and drummer in theme parks, the audition process for these gigs, and how she stays “grounded in dance” (02:25), growing up in California, Indiana and Maryland, her musical family and their influence on her life, getting into dance and music early on, and a primer on ballet styles (19:45), attending Radford University (VA) for undergrad, getting degrees in dance and percussion performance at the same time there, creating collaborative opportunities there, and her experiences at PASIC50 on the New Music/Research Panel (44:15), and takes time for the Random Ass Questions, including segments on gestures and counting, baking bread, Bruce Springsteen, Twyla Tharp, rollercoasters, airports, and gymnastics (01:19:20).
Finishing with a Rave on the 2025 documentary film Monk in Pieces (01:43:40).
Meridythe Witt links:
Meridythe Witt’s Webpage
Meridythe’s instagram
Previous Podcast Guests mentioned:
Alexandros Fragiskatos in 2021
Drew Tucker in 2026
Other Links:
George Balanchine
Vaganova Ballet Method
The Drummer’s Cookbook - John Pickering
Advanced Techniques - Jim Chapin
“Take Five” - Dave Brubeck
Jim Petercsak
Robert Sanderl
“Frogs” - Keiko Abe
“Drum Corps on Parade” - John S. Pratt
“to wALk Or ruN in wEst harlem” - Andy Akiho
“Mirage” - Yasuo Sueyoshi
William Newton
Dave Rivers
Born to Run 50th Anniversary
Dark Side of the Moon 50th Anniversary
“Lingus” - Snarky Puppy
LaDuca Dance Shoes
Napoleon Dynamite trailer
Happy Gilmore trailer
This is Spinal Tap trailer
Born to Run - Bruce Springsteen
The Collaborative Habit - Twyla Tharp
“Mallet Quartet” - Steve Reich
Raves:
Monk in Pieces trailer