All Saints Episcopal School student Bryce Mitcham plays the bass drum with the drum line during a special workshop with professional percussionist Mark Shelton (not pictured) on Wednesday Feb. 6, 2019. The drummers worked on an arrangement of "The Entertainer" by Scott Joplin for the upcoming Solo and Ensemble contest. (Sarah A. Miller/Tyler Morning Telegraph)

Music is about creating a connection, not only with the audience, but with the music itself.

Percussion students at All Saints Episcopal School learned some new ways to make their instruments speak in a voice that felt more naturally their own during a series of concerts and workshops with Mark Shelton on Wednesday.

Shelton, a renowned performer and educator, showed students the wide variety of percussion instruments, with more than a dozen in use in his concerts for the Lower School.

Shelton’s “Strike and Shake” show pulls the audience in, allowing them to perform with him as they watch.

Music teacher Johnny Ray said the students were blown away by the performance.

“It was just fabulous,” he said. “They were so enthralled with all the instruments.”

Later in the day Shelton took over as a guest instructor for the school’s drum line. He walked the students through some classics, showing each how to optimize their setup to avoid wasting movement and improve sound quality.

Ray said having Shelton for the workshop would help students gain fresh perspective.

“It’s another teacher’s viewpoint on what they’re already doing,” Ray said. “That really sparks them to reach another level. It’s a really special opportunity to get to visit with another musician.”

Shelton said his goal was to help students work on musicianship, rather than just concentrate on hitting the right note.

“I like having that connection with the audience or the people I’m working with in a clinic setting,” Shelton said. “I want to connect with people so we feel like we’re in this all together, I’m not just playing at them. I want them to leave feeling a little bit smarter.”

Shelton said he’s enjoyed his visits to All Saints over the years because the students are focused on what he has to teach, which lets him relax and have fun with the lessons.

At the end of the workshop he had a special treat for the students. As they packed up their instruments and took a seat, Shelton slid something resembling a UFO out of his bag.

He then took a seat with the instrument, which is known as a hand pan, in his lap before launching into an almost hypnotic song he had written.

Shelton can be booked for performances and clinics through his website or with Young Audiences of Northeast Texas.

For more information about Shelton, visit MarkSheltonMusic.com