Pete's Percussion Podcast: Episode 505 - Luke Helker

Episode 505 - Luke Helker Pete's Percussion Podcast Fort Hays State (KS) Director of Percussion Studies Luke Helker stops by to talk about the FHSU job and about recruiting to a small regional college (02:45), his recent presentation at the Canadian Percussion Network’s annual conference and its beginnings (17:05), growing up in Pennsylvania, his vast array of musical influences and experiences, getting to travel with family, and his years of undergrad at Millersville University (PA) studying percussion and audio production (25:50), his grad school years at the University of Kansas, his time as a wedding DJ, studying under Mike Compitello and Sam Um, and his early teaching experiences (49:10), and then Luke settles in for the Random Ass Questions, including segments on marching vs. concert percussion, great and terrible movies, John Steinbeck, metal music, Philly sports, and the artist Alphonse Mucha (01:11:30).Finishing with a Rave on the book and movie versions of The Odyssey (01:48:05).Luke Helker Links:Luke Helker’s websiteLuke Helker’s Fort Hays State websitePrevious Podcast Guests mentioned:Michael Jones in 2026Other Links:Ryan Pearson“Child of Tree” - John Cage“The Ice is Talking” - Vivian Fung“Allegro ma non troppo” - Unsuk Chin“Echolalia” - Mark ApplebaumOklahoma! ABBAMozart for Monday MorningsPuccini and PastaThe WhoNeil YoungArab SpringJames ArmstrongStick Control - George L. StoneSyncopation - Ted ReedToccata for Percussion Instruments - Carlos ChavezRomeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture - PI TchaikovskySymphony No. 2 - Jean SibeliusRick RubinThe StrokesWilcoMy Morning Jacket@Percussion PodcastMichael CompitelloSam Um“Starships” - Nikki Minaj“Fireball” - Pitbull“At Last” - Etta James“I Loved Her First” - Heartland“Celebration” - Kool and the Gang“Shout” - The Isley Brothers“Wobble” - V.I.C.“Yeah!” - Usher and Lil Jon“Turn Down for What” - DJ Snake and Lil JonEd Sheeran“Art of Almost” - WilcoReflections on the Nature of Water - Jacob DruckmanHuberman Lab podcastNOPE trailerThe Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift trailerOrbital - Samantha HarveyThe Winter of Our Discontent - John SteinbeckSlipknotMetallicaGhostBell Witchsunn O)))Phillies 2008 World SeriesEagles vs. Patriots Super Bowl LIIJaylen BrownWawa“Friends in Low Places” - Garth BrooksAlphonse Mucha - Nelson Atkins MuseumRaves:The Odyssey - Homer (translation by Emily Wilson)The Odyssey trailer