Clint plays percussion, serves on our board, and joined QUO in September 2015.

How did you come to join QUO?
I joined through friends in the ensemble who encouraged me to join.

What is your favorite place to take friends visiting NYC? (besides the High Line)
DUMBO in Brooklyn. The waterfront views and the bridges are incredible.

What musical symbol best defines you and why?
Sforzando (sfz). It’s very prominent in timpani parts and brings sudden emphasis. It’s like a weighted accent.

How long have you been playing percussion?
I’ve been a percussionist for 12 years now. It started as a way in high school to earn physical education credit by way of marching band. I fell in love with the driving rhythmic force of the drum line and just love how eclectic percussion can be.

First question from Darcy: You get to play so many instruments! What did it feel like the first time you finally succeeded in drum rolling?
This is a funny one because the first roll I mastered was a marching snare double stroke roll. I felt like the coolest kid ever. Mastering a classical snare drum buzz roll was something I agonized over in college to make it as smooth as possible. I remember recording myself over and over to get to a point where I heard just an even buzz with no pulsing from each hand. The first time you pull that off feels like magic.

Second question from Darcy: Do you consider yourself, and why do you consider yourself, particularly drawn to a specific percussion instrument?
Timpani without a doubt. They’re pitched and have such a rich history in military drumming and orchestra. They can be so quiet at one moment and then so gregarious the next.