Super Drummers/Percussionists

I am a music ed major in my sophomore year in college. I was talking to my percussion prof the other day and we got on the subject of todays percussionists. She mentioned how years ago you really focused on one area of percussion when you went to college. You would either be an orchestral percussionist or a drum set player ect....

She said now the way music programs are set up there is a new age of percussionists being produced who are being bred to do everything well. They're great mallet players, great rudimental and orchestral players, great set players, know how to properly play an array of world percussion as well. These (for lack of a better term) super percussionists can do anything play studio gigs, live performances, teach...

I see myself advancing very fast under her teachings and see myself advancing in all areas of my percussion studies and see how it all really connects to each other. What is your opinion on these 'super drummers/percussionists' and have you noticed this growing 'trend'????

I don't know... I think a lot of people in college can only do one or the other, orchestral or jazz. But I suppose there are some that do both

Yes you have to do everything if you want to work. My 15 year olds new teacher got his symphony gig because he is not only a monster orchestral player/timpanist but because he also is a monster on the drumset. He said he won the audition because the other candidates didn't have as strong a drumset background. His title is assistant principal timpanist. His main teacher is a percussion professor who is a monster marimbist but is also extremely competent on drumset, timpani, snare drum, and ethnic hand percussion.

My son aspires to attend a music conservatory and he's been told he needs to play everything and play it well.

I am just out of high school. While I was there, my instructor stressed the importance of having at least a basic understanding of all the different aspects of being a percussionist. I am really glad he did, because now I can play the drum set, mallet, orchestral, and world instruments. I put my main focus on drum set and mallet instruments, but I at least had a more-than-basic understanding and appreciation for the other parts of drumming. When I study percussion in college, I will probably focus in on drum set, but I now have a better sense of what is possible.
Excellent question.