Chambana, Your point is valid. But also it is tied to the problem. Our local university has not had a percussion music major from our school graduate in years (literally). When a percussionist from our school did go, they quit after a couple of semesters because they don't want to learn it all. But I do plan to contact the percussion professor there soon.

They have had a scholastic A for years. Our circuit has some very fine percussion ensembles in the Concert Open and World Class. My students never discuss them, and usually don't watch them.

We have our own percussion class, but in class if I want to make sure they "zone out" all I have to do is try to teach concert percussion anything. Very stubborn indeed.

9volt. Days have gone by and I had a new thought. Maybe you could view concert percussion as a "color instrument". In the wind sections the oboe and bassoon usually are not "dominate contributions. But the do solo from time to time. So why are they their? because of their "sound color". So when you a few measures of this and that of percussion "sounds", it is where the composer is creating contrast of sounds and effects. Now I know that that is not as satisfying as a through composed percussion ensemble, but it dies perhaps give you an understanding of the important contribution of the percussion sound "tid-bits".

Just something to think about.