Ensemble performs worldwide music
The Eastern Percussion Ensemble will be performing a concert at 7:30 p.m. in the Dvorak Concert Hall. The ensemble, directed by Jamie Ryan, will cover a variety of pieces from many countries all over the world, including Cuba, U.S., Japan and Europe.
“We are starting and ending the concert with traditional music from Cuba, which is sort of a specialty of mine,” Ryan said.
Ryan said he heard a recording of some music from Cuba about 20 years ago that featured drums and singing. Ever since then he has studied, performed and taught a lot of it.
Ryan said he feels the music is rhythmically invigorating and difficult, so people learn about their own abilities.
The ensemble is made up of 12 percussion majors, both undergraduate and graduate students. Ryan will be participating in the concert as well.
The ensemble also tours regionally during the year, Ryan said. The ensemble is traveling to Belleville on Friday to perform the same concert.
This particular concert will feature contemporary music performed by a marimba quartet. A marimba is a type of wooden keyboard, with a “very resonant and articulate sound,” Ryan said.
The marimba quartet performs music written specifically for the instrument as well as transcribed concert pieces.
The concert will also highlight a percussion quartet, as well as early jazz xylophone pieces.
While Ryan said many of the pieces are very accessible to the ear, some may find other pieces more challenging. Ryan said the difficulty comes from the genre of music.
Xylophone pieces from an early form of jazz known as ragtime will be among the pieces performed. He said ragtime originated in the U.S. in the late 1890s and is known for its syncopated and somewhat ragged rhythm.
“Even though they’re very enjoyable, they are extremely difficult to play,” Ryan said.
Ryan said the excitement and the novelty of seeing percussionists in action usually draw a larger crowd.
“People usually turn out just because they’re interested in what kind of different sounds and what kind of different visuals might happen,” Ryan said. “Audiences of all ages and all musical backgrounds, I think, will enjoy this concert a lot.”
Robyn Dexter can be reached at 581-2812
