Thursday, November 24, 2011

SOU Percussion Ensembles Concert 11/29 & Daniel Glass Clinic 11/30

I am thrilled to announce 2 exciting events this coming week!  Read on...



NEWS RELEASE
For immediate release: For further information contact:
November 14, 2011   Colleen Graves
gravesc@sou.edu
541.552.6102

The Southern Oregon University Percussion Ensembles, under the direction of Dr. Terry Longshore, presents “Rolling Thunder” featuring Taiko drummer Kelvin Underwood and percussion trio Compás

(Ashland, Ore.) – The widely acclaimed Southern Oregon University Percussion Ensembles, under the direction of Dr. Terry Longshore, will present “Rolling Thunder” on Tuesday, November 29, at 7:30 PM in the Southern Oregon University Music Recital Hall.

The SOU Percussion Ensemble and Compás have been praised throughout the northwest for their performances of contemporary percussion music that entertains, challenges, and excites listeners of all ages.  Composer William Kraft (former Los Angeles Philharmonic Composer-in-Residence, Associate Conductor, and Principal Timpanist) said of the ensemble, "I have never – repeat, never – been so pleased with performances of my works."

The concert will open with “Jabberwocky”, written by Stan Sitnik in the style of the Zimbabwean marimba tradition.  This exciting and joyful piece will be led by SOU Percussion Ensemble Alumnus Lindsay Campbell, who taught the piece to the ensemble.

Featured guest artist for the evening will be taiko and percussionist artist Kelvin Underwood who will lead the ensemble on Maki Ishii’s “Monochrome” for taiko drum ensemble. Underwood began his professional music career with pioneering Taiko ensemble Za Ondekoza from 1994-1998.  He left the ensemble to study music and percussion at Berklee College Music in Boston, MA from 1999-2003.  Once his studies at Berklee were complete he moved to California and began working with the highly acclaimed Taiko group On Ensemble and created his own Taiko project Meidoko (may-doh-koh).  Meidoko is a slight departure from any conventions found in the Taiko world.  The group explores the common thread of their highly energetic style of drumming, Jazz, Alternative Rock and the Brazilian fight/dance Capoeira .  

Taiko drumming as a performing art is relatively young, but is rooted in centuries-old drumming in the temples and shrines of Japan.  The large drums can be heard for miles, and were designed to be heard by all the inhabitants of a village, no matter how far away from the temple they resided.  The “Rolling Thunder” of “Monochrome” guarantees to be an excite listeners of all ages.

Also featured will be percussion trio “Catfish” by Stanford University-based composer Mark Applebaum, a favorite of Southern Oregon audiences that have delighted in performances of his music by Terry Longshore and the Southern Oregon University Percussion Ensembles.  “Catfish”, for each player’s choice of 3 like instruments (wood, metal, skin), features many polyrhythms, metric modulations, and aleatoric sections, all the while rooted in a strong sense of groove.  Compás, led by Terry Longshore, features dynamic percussionists Bryan Jeffs and Jacob Phelps-Ransom.

The Reso-Nation Percussion Quartet will perform “Wart Hog #3” by Austin Wrinkle and new composition “Full Cycle” by quartet member Daniel Freiberg.  “Wart Hog” has its roots in the rhythms of India, and the ensemble members recite and perform the rhythmic language used in this fascinating music.  “Full Cycle” is inspired by African music with instruments chosen, from deepest lows to piercing highs, to shape the dynamic and melodic qualities of the piece.   Reso-Nation also features Jordan Levelle, Sean Muir, and Sean Siders.

The ensemble will also perform Anthony Cirone’s “4/4 for Four” and Daniel Levitan’s “Variations on a Ghanaian Theme.”  The concert will close with audience favorite John Bergamo’s Zappa-esque “Totally Hip” arranged for 10-member ensemble including keyboard percussion, drums, bass, junk percussion, Swiss cowbells, and electronics.

Tickets for this performance are $5 for general admission and free for students.  Tickets and season passes may be purchased by calling 541-552-6101 or at the Music Box Office prior to the performance.  For more information, please visit Southern Oregon University’s Music website at http://www.sou.edu/music  

-SOU-

Daniel Glass Clinic

Wednesday, November 30, Southern Oregon University presents a drum clinic by Daniel Glass. The clinic will take place at 7 PM in Room 220 of the Music Building at SOU.

Daniel Glass is one of today's foremost authorities on classic American drumming. Since 1994, he has toured all over the world with the pioneering " retro-swing" group Royal Crown Revue, and recorded and performed with a host of top flight artists like Brian Setzer , Gene Simmons, Bette Midler, Liza Minnelli and Mike Ness from Social Distortion. He has been voted one of the top five R&B drummer s in the world two years in a row by the readers of Modern Drummer and DRUM magazines. Daniel is also an award-winning author and clinician. He has written three books, including The Commandments of Early Rhythm and Blues Drumming (with Zoro), and has performed at many prestigious international festivals like PASIC and the 2010 Modern Drummer Festival. Daniel's clinics focus on the evolution of the drum set. Using dazzling chops and high- energy showmanship, Daniel takes audiences on a whirlwind journey that covers seven decades of groove. His goal? To convince you that the best way to play today's grooves - Rock, Pop, Blues, Funk, Hip Hop, Reggae, Gospel, etc - is to understand the roots from which they grew. To learn more about Daniel and his obsession with classic American music, please visit: www.DanielGlass.com.