The percussion students of Southern Utah University’s Department of Music gave their concert in Thorley Recital Hall the evening of Dec. 4. Joseph Howe, the interim director of percussion studies, facilitated the concert.
The first selection was titled “Catfish” by Mark Applebaum. Written for percussion trios, the instrumentation is only specified by wood, metal and skin, which refers to three materials frequently used in non-pitched percussion instruments.
“Postlude V” by Elliot Cole continued the program. Cole’s work served as a centerpiece for the concert, as the percussion ensemble performed four of his “Postludes” throughout the course of the evening. The piece is written for four players, each sharing the same vibraphone, which they play with eight double bass bows. Each movement was performed in the dark as a stylistic choice.
“Sand” by Alan Keown and “Amalgamation” by Michael Culligan were played in between “Postlude V” and “Postlude VI.” Keown and Culligan’s compositions featured pitched percussion with “Sand,” written for single marimba and four performers, and “Amalgamation,” written for xylophone, marimba and vibraphone.
Tōru Takemitsu’s “Wings” was next,arranged by Howe. Originally, the piece was scored for choir, but Howe arranged it for five percussionists on marimba, xylophone and vibraphone. The concert’s titular piece, “Shake it up!” by Howe, followed, featuring three percussionists playing light-up shakers in the darkened recital hall.
Cole’s next piece, “Postlude VII,” kept the room in darkness after “Shake it up!” When light returned, the ensemble performed “Omphalo Centric Lecture” by Nigel Westlake. A quartet performed on two marimbas, the piece is inspired by African music and seeks to celebrate life through its rhythm and movement.
“Postlude VIII” served as the penultimate piece. The ensemble completed their concert with “The Rebel Frog Goes Dancing” by Bryan Jeffs. A rather large piece, the music is scored for glockenspiel, three xylophones, three marimbas, two vibraphones and a drum set, but its composer invites performers to expand upon the score. In this case, SUU faculty member David Torres joined the ensemble on solo trumpet.
The live stream of the performance can be viewed here.
Story by: Gracie Butterfield
Photos courtesy of SUU Music Department
Editor: Tessa Cheshire
accent@suunews.net
