James L. Moore

The Ohio State Marching Band
Performs a "Script Moore"
at Doc's last home game.

Percussive Notes and PAS - Historical Notes

Dr. James L. Moore emphasizes content and quality as well as size in the evolution of PAS.

I’ve always had questions about some of the history regarding PAS and it’s relationship with Dr. James L. Moore, Professor Emeritus of the Ohio State University. When I checked the PAS web site under History of the organization there is one line:

An important expansion occurred in 1967 when James L. Moore's already successful Percussive Notes became an official PAS publication.

This didn’t seem like enough so at the Nashville PASIC this year I asked Jim to give me a little more information regarding the origins of PAS and the work he did as editor of Percussive Notes. He was kind enough to share these remarks that he gave at the PASIC 1980 Banquet in San Jose, Ca. on November 15, 1980.

Speaking on the behalf of the Ohio Chapter of PAS, Thanks Jim for all the hard work in elevating the art of percussion for all of us.

- Cary Dachtyl

Remarks from PASIC 1980 Banquet - San José

Some of us, myself included, who have been involved in the activities of the Percussive Arts Society since its inception, while not exactly “old-timers” [Ed. Note – Jim states in 2004 maybe he is now!], do realize that it has been some 20 years since a small group of percussionists met at a Midwest Music Conference in Chicago and said, “Wouldn’t it be nice if there was an organization that could meet to talk about percussion, share information, and upgrade the level of performance, teaching, [and] understanding of percussion.” Also it was about 20 years that I and two of my colleagues [Ed. Note - The colleagues were Erwin Mueller, percussionist at Ball State and the Muncie Symphony and the late Richard Paul] in the percussion section of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra as we sat on a bus talking to pass the time away on one of those many trips to out-of-town concerts that not-quite-major symphony orchestras must take to earn money said, “Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a publication that could exchange information, news, views on teaching, discuss new products and publications, etc.” We discussed what such a publication containing notes about percussion should be called and agreed it should be called PERCUSSIVE NOTES!
Well as if happened a society called the PERCUSSIVE ARTS SOCIETY was formed by those persons of vision who attended that first meeting in Chicago – Remo Belli, Don Canedy, Jack McKenzie, Merv Britton, and Neal Fluegel to name a few in attendance. And I and my colleagues in the percussion section of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in the days following our discussion of the bus, did sit down at our typewriter and gave “birth” to that first little 4 page ditto copy newsletter that we called “Percussive Notes”. We sent this little publication around to some of our friends and colleagues in the percussion field. Through the support and generosity of persons such as Gordon Peters, Dick Richardson, Maurie Lishon and Jim Salmon, we received contributions that enabled us to pay the postage for the next mailing.
The need for an organization like the Percussive Arts Society was apparent, and PAS grew during the 1960’s. And our little newsletter must have been needed, for the number of subscribers grew rapidly and the format of the publication began to assume the content of a true percussion magazine. At that time our magazine was not a part of PAS, and it was a logical step that our efforts be combined. I remember the meeting that took place in the mid 1960’s between Gordon Peters, then PAS President, Al Payson, Vice-President, Neal Fluegel, Executive Secretary-Treasurer, and myself, Editor of Percussive Notes. It was then that the details of Percussive Notes becoming an official publication of PAS were discussed and worked out.
The growth since those years of PAS and its publications has been significant – committee work on important projects, composition contests, state and foreign country chapters with their own publications, this the 5th International PAS Convention as annual event of great importance, all of the numerous clinics, meetings, contests, involvement with other music education and professional organizations, and both a fine scholarly journal THE PECUSSIONIS and a magazine PERCUSSIVE NOTES which has grown to nearly 100 pages per issue!
We have publications that we can be proud of; PAS is an active part of the musical world; percussionists are making the voices heard. PAS is one of, if not the largest instrumental society in the world.
But I would like to leave you with a thought or two: Just being heard, tolerated by the musical world isn’t enough; PAS needs leadership with vision, administrative skills, and the ability to communicate at all levels. PAS needs a membership that will continue to grow both in numbers, and more importantly in musicality, a membership that will contribute to the content of the society’s publications both at the national and local levels.
I’m so glad to see conventions like this one; the exhibits with every important manufacturer and publisher in the percussion field present; clinics and concerts given by the greatest artists in our filed; I’m glad to see our journal assuming a professional quality; I’m glad to see our magazine with full color covers and a slick professional appearance. BUT, of far more importance to me is that we have 1) excellence in leadership, 2) involvement of all of our members, and 3) quality of CONTENT in our publications.
Percussionist have come a long way. We’ve caught the attention of the musical world; they’re listening to what we have to say. It’s important that we have something worthy of their listening and reading.
It has been a challenge to me, and personally (if not financially!) rewarding to have been part of the working of PAS these past two decades; to see the growth of the organization, and to be responsible for the dissemination of the society’s information through the editorship of PERCUSSIVE NOTES MAGAZINE. PERCUSSIVE NOTES like PAS has reached an age of young adulthood. I’m going to watch with interest the continued growth toward musical and journalistic maturity that must take place in our publications and in all aspects of our society’s work.
-James L. Moore

Dr. James "Doc" Moore is in his twenty fourth year on the staff of The Ohio State University Marching Band. He was a member of the OSU School of Music faculty from 1964-1992 where he served as head of the Percussion Studio and director of the OSU Percussion Ensemble. He was principal percussionist with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra for 17 years. He founded, and for 18 years served as editor of Percussive Notes magazine, the official publication of the International Percussive Arts Society. Dr. Moore's Bachelors and Masters Degrees, in Music Education, are from the University of Michigan and his Ph.D. in Music Theory is from The Ohio State University. Jim is also editor and owner of Per-Mus Publications, Inc., percussionist with The Brass Band of Columbus, and active as a freelance percussionist, clinician and educator. Jim's wife, Marilyn, is a retired educator and his daughter, Cheryl, is a band alum.