The Percussion Studio of John Apodaca

12/31/2024

Place your order! Last one for 2024. End of year Texas Flyer Tour…morning in ATX! 🤠

12/27/2024

Setting goals and calibrating for success in 2025! It was a fine Christmas at the Apodaca home. Happy Almost New Year, Drumming World! 🤠

12/22/2024

Carl the Drum Room Cow, The Zebra Principle, Capybaras and Wild Dingos, Bigfoot, Spontaneous Volcanos, and apparently innumerable classroom quotes that occur to illustrate the point…personal development thru the study of epic drumming as a Tribe. Amazed at these poster projects by our 6-8 Percussion Classes to express what they see their classroom World and group values as being all about. Mixed in are HS Theory Class semester notebook grading excerpts…apparently also as varied and illustrative to the point. Fun to see and become aware of as an instructor. It’s happening. Merry Almost Christmas Drumming World! VApercussion…Drum Strong…Drum Real. 🤠🎄

12/15/2024

Our 2024 Van Alstyne High School and Jr. High All Region Percussion audition participants! These students continue to improve their drumming skills and distinguish themselves through competitive performance. Van Alstyne Percussionists pictured here garnered a combined 13 ATSSB Region 25 Percussion chairs, a sweep of all 4 AREA Advancements, and 3 of the 4 First Chair Band Placements. First Chair representatives of Van Alstyne Percussion are Sophomore Luca Raner - HS Symphonic, Freshman Sawyer Fuller- HS Concert, and 8th Grade Piper Hoyt- MS Concert. Special shout outs to Junior percussionist Carson McLerran and 8th Grade Percussionists Jackson Parrot for their first All Region awards…way to keep at it, gentlemen! Senior Aizen West scored amazing placements as 1st in Oboe and 2nd overall in Percussion! He will ultimately represent the Van Alstyne Band as top Oboist and advance to AREA Round auditions. Bravo, students! Congrats on closing out a superb 2024 of drumming, and onward to the 5th Van Alstyne biennial Percussion Spectacular! VApercussion…Drum Strong…Drum Real. 🤠👏🏼

12/12/2024

Tis the Season…for some fun holiday concerting! My First Year Percussion Class thru 7th and 8th Grade. They were superb at their big Winter Concert! Bravo, my students! VApercussion…Drum Strong…Drum Real. 🤠👏🏼

12/05/2024

Big Holiday Season congratulations to Brodie Thomas of Piner Middle School in Sherman, TX! Brodie is an 8th Grade student at the Studio and was awarded 1st Chair All District for Sherman/Denison and 4th Chair Wind Ensemble for Region 25 of Texas UIL! Way to represent for your family and school, Mr. Thomas. Bravo and good luck at your All-Region concert in Plano this Friday night! 🤠👏🏼

11/28/2024

Wishing the Drumming World and non-Drumming World the happiest of Thanksgivings from the Apodaca Family of Denison, Texas! Early Blue Morning scenes from our Holiday Season home before a family celebration of Thanks. Thank you all for another year of living a great Life. 🤠🙏🏽

11/22/2024

Happy Friday and Happy almost Thanksgiving Break, everyone! Go Panthers! Bravo on the superb Turkey hat, Dr. Maresh! VApercussion…Drum Strong…Drum Real. 🤠

11/20/2024

Big congratulations to 7th Grade Percussion student Ryan Higginbotham of Sherman Middle School for being competitively selected as 5th Chair for the Sherman/Denison All-District Band! Ryan has been a top student in the Percussion Studio since 6th Grade and he’s rapidly progressing into a superb young artist percussionist. Follow this young man’s musical development…he’s gonna be exceptional in the years to come! Bravo, Ryan. 🤠👏🏼

11/16/2024

Mr. & Mrs. A…Fall of 2024. Generational photo shoot in historic Downtown Denison, TX. A great Life lived together, and more more to look forward to. 🤠

11/05/2024

Can’t say enough good about the great people of the Van Alstyne Band. Thank you for another great Fall of Drumming…and discovering what is possible. VApercussion…Drum Strong…Drum Real. 🙏🏽🇺🇸

11/05/2024

Thank you for another outstanding Fall of Percussion education and performance, everyone. The students once again performed beautifully on high level content. We had basic goals that are the Cornerstones of our program’s values…and we achieved them. VApercussion…Drum Strong…Drum Real. 🤠🇺🇸

The 2024 Van Alstyne High School Drumline performs their AREA Finalist show entitled, “Hide & Seek.” November 2, 2024. VApercussion…Drum Strong…Drum Real...

10/22/2024

Move towards your success with understanding. Basic. AREA 2024 VApercussion…Drum Strong…Drum Real. 🤠🇺🇸

10/18/2024

Driving on our goals. VApercussion…Drum Strong…Drum Real. 🤠🇺🇸

10/17/2024

Clean Straight 1’s at UIL Region today…13 years in a row. The Van Alstyne Band is doing some of it’s best playing yet thanks to the great work of Tim Fulton and MacKenzie Mobley! Our Guard is second to none due the brilliant work of Guard Instructor extraordinaire…Hallie Morris! Special thanks to Batterie/Tenor Tech Brian Boyko for all of his dedication to our Line. Thank you to alum Zack Cavender for pitching in when he can! We’re hittin’ on all cylinders and doing the drummin’! Great work, team! On to AREA! VApercussion…Drum Strong…Drum Real. 🤠💪🏼

10/16/2024

Finals Warmup last weekend for my students of the Van Alstyne High School Drumline! Performing here the closer of their 2024 show entitled, “Hide & Seek.” VApercussion was awarded Outstanding Percussion capturing the top score in prelims and finals. Thank you to the superb writing of Evan Blackard and the assistance of Brian Boyko! VApercussion…Drum Strong…Drum Real. 🤠

VApercussion High School Drumline presents closer to 2024 show entitled, “Hide & Seek.” Performed in Finals warmup in Celina, TX. The Van Alstyne High Scho...

10/13/2024

Outstanding 4A Percussion and First Overall Percussion today at the Celina Marching Invitational in Celina, TX. Superb drumming today by these percussionists. Bravo, students. VApercussion…Drum Strong…Drum Real. 🤠🇺🇸