Rick Schadt Percussion

05/28/2024

My summer teaching schedule is nearly full, but I still have room for a few more new percussion students this summer who are interested in private lessons! I accept students of all ages and ability levels. Contact me by this Friday for more info and to reserve your student's summer lesson time!

05/21/2024

04/17/2024

One week until our 5th Annual "Drumming for a Difference" event! This concert features percussion ensembles from across the entire district, and is a way for our students to showcase their talents while helping support a good cause. In previous years, this concert has raised thousands of dollars for Rock CF, NAMI, and the Mukwonago Area Food Pantry. This year, all proceeds will go to support the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee. This is a night you will not want to miss!

Concert is on Tuesday, April 23rd at 7:00pm in the Greenwald Foundation PAC. Spread the word, and join us in making a difference!

Mukwonago Area School District Mukwonago High School Park View Middle School

04/16/2024

Hard work pays off! Our percussion students’ commitment to their craft has always impressed me, but their efforts paid off big time at district solo & ensemble! All of the percussion students did Mukwonago proud, with stellar performances across the board. On top of that, every single class-A event is going to state, with nearly all of them receiving perfect scores! 🏆🎶💯 Let's give it up for these hard-working, talented musicians who are hitting all the right beats and continue to make us proud at every performance - looking forward to catching them at State! 🔥🥁

Mukwonago Bands

04/14/2024

Tangentially related story time!

"Be prepared." Both current and former students know well how much I emphasize the importance of preparation. No matter the situation, showing up not only with music confidently learned but also with all of the necessary music/equipment is key for any successful rehearsal or performance. Double-check it, triple-check it, leave nothing to chance. Given this standard I hold them to, it only feels fair to share this story and give my students the chance to roast me a bit 🙃

One of my biggest non-music hobbies is trail running, and this Saturday was the first race of the year. I had most of my gear packed up the night before, just needed to grab my headphones/running watch that were charging overnight. Upon arriving at the race site, I immediately realized I had forgotten the most essential of items - my running shoes. Typically, I wear my shoes to the race to ensure that I don't forget them. However, with all the rain this week, they were very muddy so in an attempt to keep my car clean(ish), I wore something else with the intent of changing at the race.

"Make it happen." Sometimes things go sideways when you least expect it. Regardless of the situation, there's still a performance that needs to happen. Whether it be a forgotten instrument, something unexpectedly breaking, or there not being enough space for the percussion section, in these situations, we just have to get creative and make it happen.

With no time to get out and get different footwear, and not having any success asking around for spare shoes, I really only had one option left to "make it happen" - running the race in the Crocs I wore in the car. I put them in 'sport mode' and hit the trails for the Run from the Tax Man 10k. Perhaps I was just fueled by the anger at myself, or maybe Crocs just really are that comfy, but it was a good race!

Not sure if I'll ever run another 10k this way again, but shoutout to Crocs for making comfortable footwear that also can survive a few treks up & down Lapham Peak - hit me up if you're looking for a mid-30's, average-speed runner who also plays the drums to sign to an NIL deal 🤣

04/11/2024

Shout-out to the members of the Carroll University Percussion Ensemble for a great concert last night! I was teaching right up until 7pm but fortunately was able to catch the performance via the livestream. Keep up the good work, y'all!

Carroll University Music Program

04/06/2024

04/06/2024

Nothing like a little morning marimba assembly in preparation for solo & ensemble today. Shout out to this crew for getting here early to help out! Good luck to all students performing today!

🎶🥁🤘🏼

12/08/2023

…and it ‘twas a lot of 5th-12th grade percussionists, and they all did great at the MASD Band Extravaganza! Special shout-out to the 5th grade students who just performed their first concert ever in front of THOUSANDS of people!!! The future is bright in Mukwonago! 🥁🎄🎅🎶

12/05/2023

Drums are all tuned, sticks and mallets are placed, its almost time for the MASD Band Extravaganza! This is gonna be a lot of percussionists! 🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁

12/04/2023

What a fulfilling weekend of performances! Saturday evening was the Concord Chamber Orchestra's annual winter concert at the Basilica of St. Josephat. I got to share the stage with some fantastic musicians, including one of the most fun percussion sections I have been a part of. Afterward I was greeted with a (wonderfully) unexpected surprise, running into and catching up with a former student after the performance that I had not seen in several years! Sunday was spent at Lambeau Field with the Tundra Line doing what we do best - playing drums and acting like absolute lunatics. A Packers victory was icing on the cake. Now on to two of the busiest weeks of the year, with numerous student performances, the start of the Blue2 Winter Percussion season, and juries at Carroll University. Going to be tired after all of this, but my heart is full 🥁🎵💚💛

12/02/2023

Concert tonight with the Concord Chamber Orchestra at the always gorgeous Basilica of St. Josaphat in Milwaukee. The performance will also feature some incredibly talented singers from Milwaukee High School of the Arts on Menotti's one-act Christmas opera, Amahl and the Night Visitors.