Allan Watson is currently the associate principal timpanist and a percussionist with the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra, a position he has held for 19 years. The orchestra performs over 250 performance per year in the Opera theatre of the Sydney Opera House for Opera Australia and the Australian Ballet .

Allan has also lectured at the University of NSW , Sydney Conservatorium and at the Canberra School of Music and is in demand as a tutor at music camps and a clinician for workshops and conferences.

He is manager and co- owner of Optimum Percussion- Australia’s leading percussion specialist shop. Based in Burwood, Optimum supplies orchestral, band and classroom drum and percussion equipment to customers all across Australia.

Each year Optimum Percussion holds the Australian Percussion Eisteddfod in Sydney where primary and high school students can compete in solo or ensemble events. Schools and percussionists from all over Australia have attended this eisteddfod since its inception five years ago and it continues to grow in importance and size.

Percussion Soundscapes - Techniques and New Sounds for your percussion instruments.

Session Abstract

This class will allow you to be more creative with the percussion instruments that you own and may open your eyes and ears to a few you may not have seen.

Allan will discuss how to get the best sounds from a large range of classroom percussion instruments including glockenspiels, xylophones, metallophones, hand percussion and a wide range of drums. The array of sounds from different mallets will be explored with suggested classroom uses. He will also explain how to create some interesting simple drum patterns for your drum circle. A great opportunity to become more confident and creative with your percussion.