So The symphony I play with asked us all to fill out this survey and I thought I'd post my answers here so you'd know a little more about me.

Name: Tracy Wiggins

Age: 35

Instrument: Timpani

General Questions

Do you have a full time job? Yes

If yes, what do you do for a living as a day job? I am Director of Percussion Studies at UNC Pembroke

Are you a full time student? Actually working on my doctoral thesis puts me in this group also.

If yes, what is your major? Doctor of Musical Arts in Percussion Performance from the Hartt School.

What are your hobbies and interests? Sports; movies; reading; spending time with my wife and daughter

What do you like about Fayetteville? The wide variety of restaurants available!

What is something about yourself that most people don't know? I am an Eagle Scout. Also I was a catcher in baseball and a goalie in soccer through high school, while also being on the debate team AND all my music stuff. I stayed busy………………


Musical Questions

When did you join the FSO? Full time in 2006. I subbed before then since 2003.

Why do you enjoy playing with the FSO? A chance to perform with an orchestra that is actively growing in quality all the time.

When did you start playing? Around age 10 or so I started playing drumset. I started formally learning percussion in the 6th grade.

Do you play any other instruments? Just the thousands of percussion instruments there are!

Where else have you performed outside of the FSO? I was principal percussionist for the Santa Fe Symphony while in grad. school. I have also performed with the Alabama, New Mexico, Waterbury, New Britain and Florence symphonies. I have done solo performances at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention in Nashville, as well as at The University of Maryland at College Park, Tarleton State University and various other schools around the country.

What is your most memorable moment on stage (good or bad)? My first concerto performance when I won the concerto competition at Oklahoma State University with Alan Hovhaness’s “Fantasy on Japanese Woodprints”. This was an amazing experience to play solo for the first time in front of a symphony.

Who has been the biggest influence on your musical career? Dr. Christopher Shultis at the University of New Mexico. He completely changed my entire way of thinking about music.

What sort of music do you enjoy playing or listening to? Pretty much everything but I really love contemporary music!

How do you deal with pre-concert nerves? Try to relax and control my breathing. Also making sure I get a good warm-up helps. I also like to visualize my way through the whole concert so when I go onstage that is not the first time I’ve gone through the program.

Who are your favorite composers? Beethoven; Tchaikovsky; Carter; Xenakis; Cage; Stravinsky; Thomas DeLio

What is/are your favorite piece(s) of music? Beethoven Symphony no. 7; Tchaikovsky Symphony no. 4; Third Construction by John Cage; As Though by Thomas DeLio

What sort of music do you listen to in your car or when unwinding after a long day at work? Honestly, in the car it’s all about ESPN radio because I am around music all day every day!