YSU Percussion Ensemble
DeYor Performing Arts Center
Ford Family Recital Hall
March 26, 2008 8:00pm
Robert Ferguson and Josh Ryan, Directors
Brian Sweigart, Graduate
Assistant
Bicksa(1991) Thom Hasenpflug(b.1966)
Bicksa is a very aggressive work for written for four
multi-percussionists. Thom
Hasenflug composed this work in 1994 in Ithaca, Ney York and was premiered by
the Ithaca percussion ensemble.
Bicksa contains continuous metric changes as well as complex rhythmic
counterpoint that repeatedly resolves into intense vertical rhythmic
resolutions. The reoccurring
unison punctuations in cymbals throughout the piece provide a motive from which
everything else originates. Bicksa
can be found on Thom Hasenflug’s first CD, HasenProject.
Chamade Suite(1994) Igor
Lesnik(b.1956)
I. Chamade
II.
Retraite
III. Diane
Chamade is an old
French military expression for a drum (or trumpet) signal indicating a cease
fire. Retraite and Diane could be translated from French to
English as “Taps” amd “Morning Call.” This suite is in fact a concert version of a series of drum
signals composd for the Croatian Army.
Earth Dances(1991) Frank Wiley(b.1949)
Earth Dances was composed in 1991 by Frank Wiley, a
composition professor at Kent State University, and received its premier
performance by the Univeristy of Kentucky percussion ensemble. Earth Dances is a large
multi-percussion work that employs five players with extensive multi-instrument
setups. While each player utilizes
one pitched percussion instrument, Wiley does not center this piece on a
specific melodic or harmonic idea, but rather uses the pitch material as a
progressive development throughout the score. In addition to the use of melodic instruments, Earth Dances
contains some unique effect sounds as well as the use of timbrack notation
where non-melodic percussion instruments are arrange and played in a keyboard
format. While Wiley has written
numerous works that contain percussion, Earth Dances continues to be his most
played percussion compostion.
Perfectly Frank Daniel Levitan(b.1953)
Composed in honor of Afro-Cuban percussionist Frank Malabe,
Perfectly Frank is a tour of rumba and other modern Afro-Cuban dance styles for
percussion quintet. The solo
voices are the marimba and conga drums, both of which quote traditional Cuban
musical genres.
Shadow Chasers (1994) Michael
Burritt(b.1962)
Rob Ferguson, marimba
Shadow Chasers was composed in 1994 by marimbist Michael Burritt and serves as the title track to his second solo CD. This work is written for solo marimba and four multi-percussionists. The piece features both intense rhythmic passages as well as opportunities for improvisation on the part of each performer. Shadow Chasers was premiered in the summer of 1994 at the Leigh Howard Stevens Marimba Seminar and continues to be one of the premier works for solo marimba and percussion.
INTERMISSION
Kinka Ewe Traditional, Ghana
Kinka is dance music of the Ewe people of Southeastern Ghana
and Togo. Kinka is a conversation between the Astimevu ("lead drum")
and a variety of supporting instruments.
Each rhythmic cue posed by the lead drum has specific responses from the
supporting parts. Once the
responses are established, the lead drum may improvize while taking care not to
occupy the rhythmic space of the supporting parts. There are countless such musical conversation in Kinka. Presented in this performance is an
excerpt of Kinka, played on traditional instruments.
Layers(1992) Lynn Glassock(b.1946)
This piece for eight percussionists illustrates contrapuntal
writing for pitched and un-pitched percussion. The composition is written in
various “layers” of melodic, rhythmic, and timbral material.
Bluebird Samba (1994) Ted Rounds
Bluebird Samba is a tune in Eb,
later in F, and in Eb again at the end. The other two themes were just separate
material I was working on during the same time. The minimalist transitions were
just convenient diversions to get to the different key centers for the tune. I
thought the thing sounded like a samba, so that had to be part of the title
somehow. On the day I quit writing the piece (you have to actually quit
writing) Tyler was building a bluebird house and after she put one up, she
declared that the next day there would be bluebirds living there. Sure enough,
the next day there they were. Tyler was the one who actually said I should call
it Bluebird Samba. It has some cool chords and some nice jagged lines. Parts of
the main theme are presented over different bass lines with alternate key
centers, just to see how they worked. There is a short madness that was
inspired by Frank Zappa (groups of fives followed by sextuplets in groups of
four.
As
with all my writing, I have my intentions but I'm always surprised by what
comes out. That's partly because I usually compose by means of improvisation.
I'll compose an accompaniment sequence that the computer loops while I
improvise on a percussion controller that feeds into the same computer. If I
like it, it stays. If I don't, it goes into electronic storage for another
day.-Ted Rounds
A Terrible Beauty(1991) Roger Braun(b.1968)
The novel Trinity by Leon Uris, paints a haunting picture of the beginnings of revolution in the late nineteenth century. Uris describes Ireland as “a terrible beauty” – a country of beautiful landscapes, people, and heritage, yet a country plagued by extreme poverty and political and religious problems. This extreme two-sidedness of Irelenad provided the inspiration for the music. – Roger Braun
_____________________________
Rob Ferguson is currently serving in his fourth year on the percussion faculty at Youngstown State University. Ferguson has been the director of Matrix Indoor Drumline since its conception in 1999 and currently serves as the Executive Director, and Music Designer. In addition, Rob is currently the co-percussion caption head for the Glassmen Drum and Bugle Corps. Ferguson also serves as the assistant marching band director at Youngstown State University. In addition to his teaching, he is an active composer, arranger and designer in both the indoor and outdoor marching activities for high school, college, and independent programs. Ferguson is also active as a program consultant for numerous high school programs throughout Ohio and Indiana in both the concert and marching genres. Ferguson has been a guest soloist and clinician on marimba at many universities and high schools in Ohio, Indiana, Texas and Pennsylvania. He has also presented educational clinics on marching percussion, teaching percussion in the public schools, and amplification throughout the United States including a presentation at the 2007 Percussive Arts Society International Convention. Ferguson holds both his bachelors and masters degrees in percussion performance from Kent State University where is primary teachers included Michael Burritt and Ted Rounds. He is currently serving his sixth term as a percussion representative to Mid East Performance Association Board of Directors. Rob is currently an endorser for Innovative Percussion, Dynasty USA, Remo, and Sabian. Rob currently resides in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio with his wife Kate.
Josh Ryan is an
Associate Professor of music and chair of the winds/percussion department at
Baldwin-Wallace College. Josh teaches percussion, percussion methods, and
directs the percussion ensemble. A versatile performer and clinician,
Josh is an active musician in many genres. He has been the principal
timpanist of the Madison Symphony Orchestra and has also performed with the
Maryland Symphony, Peabody Symphony Orchestra, and the Wisconsin Chamber
Orchestra. Josh has also taught at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
where he founded the Summer Percussion Camp.
Josh has studied African
music in Ghana, West Africa with the Agbeli family and is also a student of
Valerie Naranjo. He has traveled to Cuba to study with Regino Jimenez and
Daniel Alfonso. he is also a long-time student of Afro-Cuban
percussionist Michael Spiro and has recently co-authored a book with him.
A frequent clinician in non-Western styles of music, Mr. Ryan teaches workshops
for music educators throughout the country and is a frequent clinician at music
education conferences.
Josh is co-founder of the
Africa->¨West Percussion trio, a professional percussion ensemble in
residence at Baldwin-Wallace College. The trio recently released it's
second CD, Togo Road, and performed
at the Percussive Arts Society INternational Convention. Active in new
music featuring percussion instruments, he regularly performs as a solo
marimbist/percussionist and chamber musician.
Mr. Ryan received his M.M. in percussion performance from the Peabody Conservatory of Music. His bachelor's degrees are in music and government from Lawrence University, where he has also been a faculty member.
YSU Percussion Studio
Graduate
Brian Sweigart, Streetsboro
Seniors
Tim Hampton, Lakewood
Tyler
Husosky, Warren
Michael Anderson, Willoughby
Juniors
Mario Butera, Carnegie, PA
Cory Doran,
Columbus
Shawn Logan, Akron
Zachary
Taylor, Bloomingdale
Sophomore
Kevin Rabold, Pittsburgh, PA
Freshmen
Joshua Colson, Transfer, PA
Justin Fujka, Bryan
Christina
Niemeyer, Findlay
Joe Werhnyak, Enon Valley, PA
Gino West, Poland,
Robert Young, Austintown
Eric Zalenski, Bloomingdale