<p class="">University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Percussion Professor Alex Wier stops by to talk about his job at UWM, Present Music, Chamber Music Playing, and the culture of the arts in Milwaukee (03:10), growing up in St. Louis and Phoenix, his musical beginnings, marching band, and playing video games (24:50), attending the University of Arizona for undergrad (38:35), going to Northwestern University (IL) for his master’s and taking a break from school after the degree (49:40), getting his doctorate from Arizona State (01:04:45), and settles in for the Random Ass Questions, including segments on developing young percussionists, cooking for children, great movies, TV shows, and books, his varied sports fandoms, and unusual performance experiences (01:14:45).</p><p class="">Finishing with a Rave on the best of the 2026 Winter Olympics (01:39:15).</p><p class="">Alex Wier Links:</p><p class=""><a href="https://www.alexwier.com">Alex Wier’s website</a></p><p class=""><a href="https://uwm.edu/arts/directory/wier-alex/">Alex Wier’s University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee page</a></p><p class=""><a href="https://www.presentmusic.org/about">Present Music</a></p><p class="">Previous Podcast Guests mentioned:</p><p class=""><a href="https://www.petezambito.com/petes-percussion-podcast-the-episodes/2017/3/21/petes-percussion-podcast-episode-31-norman-weinberg?rq=weinberg">Norman Weinberg in 2017</a></p><p class=""><a href="https://www.petezambito.com/petes-percussion-podcast-the-episodes/2025/9/3/petes-percussion-podcast-episode-459-she-e-wu-part-1?rq=she-e%20wu">She-e Wu in 2025</a></p><p class=""><a href="https://www.petezambito.com/petes-percussion-podcast-the-episodes/2026/2/19/petes-percussion-podcast-episode-483-andy-miller">Andy Miller in 2026</a></p><p class=""><a href="https://www.petezambito.com/petes-percussion-podcast-the-episodes/2020/3/12/petes-percussion-podcast-episode-180-steve-hemphill?rq=hemphill">Steve Hemphill in 2020</a></p><p class=""><a href="https://www.petezambito.com/petes-percussion-podcast-the-episodes/2021/6/24/petes-percussion-podcast-episode-247-jeff-hewitt-2021?rq=hewitt">Jeff Hewitt in 2021</a></p><p class=""><a href="https://www.petezambito.com/petes-percussion-podcast-the-episodes/2018/1/23/petes-percussion-podcast-episode-74-josh-armstrong-2018?rq=josh%20armstrong">Josh Armstrong in 2018</a></p><p class=""><a href="https://www.petezambito.com/petes-percussion-podcast-the-episodes/2022/2/22/petes-percussion-podcast-episode-282-mike-sammons-part-1?rq=mike%20sammons">Mike Sammons in 2022</a></p><p class="">Other Links:</p><p class=""><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=RD2fyoA4oC3fM&amp;start_radio=1&amp;v=2fyoA4oC3fM">“Threads” - Paul Lansky</a></p><p class=""><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=RDJP1tOFZLTXw&amp;start_radio=1&amp;v=JP1tOFZLTXw">“Timber” - Michael Gordon</a></p><p class=""><a href="https://jbsmithmusic.com">JB Smith</a></p><p class=""><a href="https://search.asu.edu/profile/1372648">Simone Mancuso</a></p><p class=""><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=RDIKOTq5iTDHw&amp;start_radio=1&amp;v=IKOTq5iTDHw">“Radio Rewrite” - Steve Reich</a></p><p class=""><a href="https://uwm.edu/arts/directory/forbes-jack/">Jack Forbes</a></p><p class=""><a href="https://pas.org/publication-articles/gary-cook-pas-legacy/">Gary Cook</a></p><p class=""><a href="https://www.innovativepercussion.com/artists/james_ross">James Ross</a></p><p class=""><a href="https://creativeartsandmedia.wvu.edu/people/mike-vercelli">Mike Vercelli</a></p><p class=""><a href="https://www.pacific.edu/campus-directory/jonathan-latta">Jonathan Latta</a></p><p class=""><a href="https://www.instagram.com/rhythmislife421/?hl=en">Wes Hawkins</a></p><p class=""><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=RDRIl7i6H8Ptk&amp;start_radio=1&amp;v=RIl7i6H8Ptk">“Six Japanese Gardens” - Kaija Saariaho</a></p><p class=""><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=RDZXo06CyzXqY&amp;start_radio=1&amp;v=ZXo06CyzXqY">“Silver Streetcar for the Orchestra” - Alvin Lucier</a></p><p class=""><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o63qyZ3roqc">“Dressur” - Mauricio Kagel</a></p><p class=""><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=2s&amp;v=2LqzF5WauAw"><em>Interstellar</em> trailer</a></p><p class=""><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoHD9XEInc0"><em>Inception</em> trailer</a></p><p class=""><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8HQ2JLlc4E"><em>The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift</em> trailer</a></p><p class=""><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kU44N6MKG9Q"><em>Eagle Eye</em> trailer</a></p><p class=""><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2778055.Kurt_Vonnegut_Jr_">Kurt Vonnegut</a></p><p class=""><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnX85oZOV40">Packers-Bears 2025 Wild Card</a></p><p class=""><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AszWG7TAqs"><em>Arrested Development</em> Season 1</a></p><p class=""><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmqvnIXnmyM">I’m Making a Giant Salad</a></p><p class=""><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=1s&amp;v=xEQP4VVuyrY"><em>Severance</em> Season 1</a></p><p class="">Raves:</p><p class=""><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ts4DDjglRM4">USA-Canada Gold Medal Women’s Hockey Game 2026</a></p><p class=""><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJclHaOOrNI">USA-Canada Gold Medal Men’s Hockey Game 2026</a></p><p class=""><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCrFaRsezGo">Alysa Liu’s Gold Medal Free Skate</a></p>