David Kovins: Vibraphone Artist and Pedagogue

Vibraphone pedagogical materials have lacked documentation compared to materials for other percussion instruments such as the marimba, snare drum, or timpani. Most materials published since the first vibraphone method book in 1965 have also been for jazz performance styles. David Kovins published a series of vibraphone etude books between 1989 and 2007 that addressed the disparity of vibraphone materials compared to other percussion instruments. Due to various influences during his percussion training, Kovins’s etude books present a holistic approach to vibraphone that supersedes the jazz performance practices established in most materials preceding Kovins. This document provides a brief overview of David Kovins’s early life and career, an analysis of materials in his four etude books, and a comparison of the four etude books. In chapter two of this document, Kovins’s teachers are listed along with influences for materials throughout his etude books. In chapter three, each etude book in this study is listed, and an overview of the techniques employed by Kovins is given. Chapter four provides a comparative analysis of the four etude books. Kovins’s publications, particularly his etude books, are worthy of study due to their collaboration with material identifiable from Kovins’s notable teachers, including Paul Price, Fred Hinger, Elden “Buster” Bailey, and David Friedman. The collaboration and synthesis of materials and Kovins’s application to vibraphone pedagogy provide a reputable and holistic resource for vibraphone performers and teachers.