June 20, 2008

Head of Percussion Ensemble has unusual wish list

by Andrea Hahn

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Summer is a time for garage and yard sales. But before you put that hard-shell suitcase, metal washtub or automotive spring coil out in your driveway or on eBay with a price tag on it, consider this -- the School of Music at Southern Illinois University Carbondale may be able to do something musical with it.

Ron Coulter, percussion faculty with the School of Music, sent out a wish list that looks, frankly, a little bit like a scavenger hunt list in some spots. But if you’ve got something on that list -- if you just don’t have anywhere to put those extra water buffalo bells or if you have a spare quijada lying around collecting dust, consider making a donation to SIUC’s School of Music. Contact Coulter at coulter@siu.edu or call 618/453-2823.

Coulter heads up the SIUC Percussion Ensemble and the Southern Illinois Improvisation Series.

Here’s the list:

16 brake drums (from cars)

20 metal coffee cans (any sizes, also paint cans)

Metal pipe (any size, any kind of metal)

Wind chimes (glass, metal, wood, bamboo, stone, ceramic, etc.)

5 Pyrex bowls (glass mixing bowls)

1 quijada de burro (jawbone of a donkey with the teeth intact)

8 Japanese rice bowls (porcelain)

1 conch shell

6 large brass sleigh bells (individually or on a strap)

2 sistrum (metal rattles similar to some baby toys)

1 pair of devil chasers (split bamboo rods; also called cricket callers)

2 large metal washtubs

2 thunder sheets (large pieces of sheet metal)

1 automotive spring coil (from car suspension)

2 hand-crank air raid sirens (preferably Sterling Type H, Part No. 73 PU-PB)

4 pieces of plate glass

10 unbroken clay flowerpots (various sizes)

Bells -- 3 glass/3 clay/6 metal (large, like school or ship bells or the small, decorative type)

Resonant metal (various types, shapes, etc.)

2 variable speed record players with sine wave test tone records

2 anvils

1 clay ocarina

2 wooden boxes

6 elephant bells (also called bells of sarna)

6 water buffalo bells

6 oxen bells

6 Japanese temple bowls (rin, brass singing bowls, dobachi)

8 tom-toms

6 small tam-tams/gongs

9 Chinese tom-toms

1 marimbula

1 hard suitcase

2 fire alarm bells

2 coil chimes (from inside a clock)

5 drinking glasses

Wood rattle

2 metal rattles