The best thing about music school was being a drumset player in an academic environment. I learned many useful techniques from playing in percussion ensembles, musicals, ballets and assorted other types of performances. I use all of those techniques when I play for local churches several times a year. Most of the parts are easy to read and not very difficult, but are written for two or three players plus a timpanist. I combine all of the percussion parts and play them as a multiple percussion part, and get another player for the timpani parts. It usually requires juggling several different sticks, mallets and beaters, and finding ways to mount instruments so that triangle, cymbal, orchestra bells, and snare drum parts can be covered at the same time, while covering various accessory instruments like shakers and hand drums in between. Lots of fun, actually. That’s why we play drums (for life)…