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Meet an Arts Academy percussion student
Second-year senior Mitch reveals his daily routine, his passion for percussion, and the nickname his friends call him when he needs to take a break from practicing.
You can read school websites as much as you want, but if you’re considering studying music at an arts boarding school, the best way to get an insider’s perspective is to hear from a current student. Mitch Beckmann is a second-year senior from St. Louis, Missouri. Here, he shares a look into his daily life as a percussion student, from his favorite instructors to the joy of studying in a program that actually has enough practice rooms for each student.
When did you first become interested in playing percussion?
When I auditioned for band in middle school, they wanted me to play trumpet. But it turned out that I had really good rhythm, so I played percussion in band until sophomore year. Later, I started renting a marimba and learned how to play, and then I started really getting serious about percussion.
What do you love most about your instrument?
I’ve been around music my entire life. I started with piano, then went to guitar and pretty much went through everything. When I auditioned for Arts Academy, I was trying to decide whether I wanted to go for cello or percussion. One of the Admissions staff members asked me on the phone, ‘What do you want to play when you wake up in the morning?’ And I realized it was percussion. I'd be in cello lessons, drumming on the top of the chair. It was that obvious.
Why did you decide to come to Interlochen?
I’d grown out of my current high school experience. I was just a sophomore, and my band directors were telling me my next step should be college. But I still had two more years to go! Then my teacher in St. Louis told me about this place called Interlochen. I called my mom, and I convinced her the next day to let me go.
Mitch Beckmann in performance
What does a typical day look like for you?
On a good day when I wake up on time, I’m up at 6 a.m. I plan out my day beforehand, so I stretch and go to the gym from 7:00 to 8:00. Then I have my classes. Between classes, I'll go practice. And then once rehearsals are done at around 6:00, I'll practice again. On the weekends, I practice almost all day. My friend Gabe calls me a shed demon, because I'm always practicing at the sheds. I still do fun stuff, though. I went with a group to see Beetlejuice on Saturday.
What is your relationship with your teachers like?
Mr. Hildreth, my physics instructor, is awesome. And with percussion, Mr. Aleo is very, very nice. He has a massive vision, and he's made it come to life with the big percussion ensembles. We have more marimbas than most colleges in the country. Most colleges don't have the amount of bass drums or timpani that we have. And the idea of having one practice room per percussionist, like we do? That’s just unheard of.
What would you tell a student who is considering coming to Interlochen?
Make sure you know it’s for you. Whenever I heard about Interlochen, I had a gut feeling that this was where my story was taking me. This was my next step. I just knew. I didn't even feel the need to visit campus beforehand. But I would say for a more cautious musician, or if you’re in another major, just check out the school and see if it’s for you.
What are your plans for next year?
I want to study at Manhattan School of Music.
Learn more about studying music at Interlochen Arts Academy.
