Rimshots! Percussion Ensemble

Rimshots! is MacPhail’s Premier Percussion Ensemble (ages 13-18)

Rimshots! strives to bring relevant and exciting compositions for percussion to MacPhail and community stages. The highly motivated percussion students play myriad instruments that range from triangle to timpani to table-tops. Rimshots! performs concerts in a variety of settings throughout the community.

Rimshots! students love percussion, music, playing, and discovering how to develop the most cohesive ensemble possible.

The goal is to take the music beyond the notes to create meaning and connect with the audience.

Rimshots! runs annually from September to June with exciting 2-hour weekly rehearsals.

Students wishing to audition should be proficient on mallets, snare drum, timpani, drum set, and accessories.

Varsity Ensemble Auditions: Auditions for Rimshots! will be scheduled before August 31st.

Application deadline: Tuesday, August 1, 2023

Meet the Rimshots! Faculty

Paul Babcock

Paul Babcock has over 25 years of experience teaching percussion/drum set. He enjoys working with students of all backgrounds to discover their passions for music and percussion to see how far they can go on this exciting journey.

Paul developed the MacPhail percussion ensemble Rimshots!, which has performed across the United States and abroad.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance from Monmouth College (Illinois) and a Master’s in Music Performance from the University of Minnesota.

Bjorn Grina-Shay

Born and raised in the Twin Cities, percussionist Bjorn Grina-Shay is an active freelance musician and percussion instructor. As an educator, Bjorn teaches percussion and drum set lessons to students of all ages and abilities. He served as a percussion coach with the Minneapolis Northside Youth Orchestra and the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies. Bjorn performed educational concerts for students of all ages as part of MPR’s Class Notes artists with his chamber music ensemble, 10th Wave.  More…