Marimbas, cowbells, keyboards and even a sheet of metal are a few of the instruments to be showcased in Thursday night's performance by USC's Percussion Ensemble and Percussion Players. The concert will be presented at 7:30 p.m. in School of Music 206 where students will put on an "eclectic" performance, according to Scott Herring, percussion professor who has directed the Percussion Ensemble for multiple years atUSC.
Students can look forward to hearing pieces like "to wALk Or ruN in wEst harlem” by USC alumnus Andy Akiho. This piece will feature percussionists as well as a percussion student playing piano. Another is "The Surface of the Sky" by Blake Tyson that was written in memory of the Little Rock Nine and is related to the integration of African Americans in public schools.
"It’s especially poignant because just last week Linda Brown from the Brown vs. Board of Education, she died last week so I planned to dedicate the performance actually to her," Herring said.
Third-year music education student Aaron Buck will be performing in those two pieces as well as two other pieces titled "Spine" and "Lather, Rinse, Repeat." Buck plays numerous percussion instruments including marimba, drum set, xylophone, snare drum and tambourine and has performed with the ensemble every semester since he began studying at USC.
"I think this one is going to be a little more insightful into how percussionists write percussion ensemble music ... for the non-musician," Buck said about this year's performance. "A couple of the pieces we’re playing you’ll get to see sort of how the composer comes up with the different rhythms and how the parts play together — sort of as the music happens, which is pretty cool."
The Percussion Players is composed of younger percussion students and some non-music majors. Caitlin Jones, who is a second-year doctoral candidate for musical arts in performance, coached the Percussion Players in a piece called "Identity Crisis" by Michael Aukofer. This is Jones' fourth semester working and performing with the Percussion Ensemble at USC, and he highlighted the variety of music included in the concert.
"We will be performing pieces with tons of drums, more subtle works with all different keyboards, groove based catchy small ensemble works, Brazilian Samba charts, and everything in between," Jones said. "It is going to be a great night of music."
Other exciting features of the concert are the inclusion of guest artist Jesse Willis, director of percussion studies at Coastal Carolina University, as well as Blythewood High School students performing in a percussion quartet titled "Escape Velocity" by Dave Hall.
Willis has been with Coastal Carolina University for eight years and takes on the task of running their percussion ensemble and world music ensemble as well as working with the marching band and concert band. Willis is bringing something to the table that USC percussion students aren't familiar with — a traditional Brazilian samba called Batucada.
"We want the performers and the audience to take away an appreciation for this style of music," Willis said. "To have a little bit more understanding of what this is and the intricacy, the sophistication of this style. It’s not just a bunch of people randomly hitting drums, it’s carefully choreographed.”
Willis will lead the students in a performance that will showcase the parade style of music played during the Carnival Celebration of Brazil, acting not as your traditional conductor, but instead leading a call-and-response style of performance.
"It's the ultimate form of pageantry," Willis said regarding the music.
The Blythewood High School percussion students will perform alongside college students for the piece entitled "Escape Velocity." Blythewood and USC work together often, as USC brings percussion students to the high school to teach master classes once a week.
Blythewood is unique because of its well-developed world music program. The program includes a West African drum and dance ensemble, Brazilian samba group, Japanese taiko group, a steel band and a percussion ensemble, all of which perform and tour. Percussion and World Music Director Jonathan Burbank has created these groups whose percussion studio is composed of 15 students and the world music program which has 30 to 55 students. Although Blythewood works closely with USC, this is the high school's first time performing with USC in concert.
"We’re so blessed here in Columbia, and in Blythewood, being so close to the university because really Dr. Herring’s studio is one of the best in the nation," Burbank said.
Sharing the stage with USC students is a great opportunity for the Blythewood students because many want to go on to pursue music after high school. Herring asked them a few weeks ago to perform at the concert and they all agreed enthusiastically, even though they will have to perform during their spring break.
Herring describes the future of the Percussion Ensemble as a "moving target," but knows that he wants to continue to invite guest artists like Willis. Herring has spoken to Keith Aleo of the Interlochen Center of the Arts in Michigan as well as Swedish percussionist Anders Åstrand about being potential guest artists for future concerts.
"Percussion is such a unique area to be in and to listen to. We play everything from drums, to keyboards, to pots and pans, to whistles and ratchets — it is so diverse," Jones said, "This concert especially will be great for the music lover all the way to the advanced listener and everyone in between."