About Robert Schoville

Mr. Schoville is a doctoral candidate (Multicultural Education) in the department of Curriculum and Instruction, University of Wisconsin-Madison. His dissertation, “A Discourse Analysis of Percussive Notes, 1963-1987,” historicizes the invention of the primordial functional drummer and the modern musical percussionist in higher education. As an educational researcher and multicultural curriculum designer, he collaborated with Professor Anthony DiSanza in designing and implementing the UW-Madison non-western percussion performance ensemble. Additionally, Mr. Schoville has designed and implemented the courses, “World Percussion for Music Educators,” “Popular Music for Music Educators,” and “Community Music for Music Educators,” for the UW-Madison Pre-Service Music Education Program. He has received significant grants and awards for curriculum innovation based on his ability to merge traditional music teaching and learning with new technologies that engage student interests in the process of critical thinking, writing, reading, listening, and speaking. Mr. Schoville’s musical background includes winning the John Phillip Sousa award, marching with the Madison Scouts Drum & Bugle Corps, studying jazz performance with Richard Davis, studying and performing in Carnaval Salvador da Bahia, Brazil, studying Cuban percussion with Roberto Viscaino, composing percussion scores for the UW Marching Band and the Bejing Olympics, studio work including percussion and drumset samples for Apple Inc. “World Music Jam Pack,” recording commercial jingles, and touring throughout the United States and Europe with popular music groups and internationally renowned artists. In 1997, Mr. Schoville founded the Brazilian percussion school, The Handphibians, a community-based organization that continues to grow and thrive in collaboration with the University of Wisconsin-Madison Percussion Program. Currently residing on the Aegean coast of Turkey, Mr. Schoville continues to study the history and performance of percussion daily. At the same time, he enjoys teaching percussion to his two-year-old daughter Olivia and his newborn son, Leonard. Want more information? Contact Robert: robertgschovi@gmail.com or https://www.handphibians.com/