Ouachita Stories

Ouachita Baptist University professors Justin Isenhour and Dr. Ryan Lewis will present an evening of chamber music for trombone and percussion on Tuesday, April 17, at 7:30 p.m. The concert, which is free and open to the public, will be held in Mabee Fine Arts Center’s McBeth Recital Hall on Ouachita’s campus.

Works from Brazillian composer Jose Urcisino da Silva, better known as “Duda,” will bookend the evening, beginning with “Gizelle” and concluding with “Marquinhos No Frevo.”

Frank Campo’s “Commedie” will continue the recital and is a “spatial interplay between sonorities generated from the vibraphone and trombone with various mutes,” Isenhour said.

“Dyadic Variations” from Clarence Barber will be performed next and make use of four pitched tom-toms to create an exciting set of variations on a majestic trombone theme.

William Bergsma’s “Blatant Hypotheses” will follow; this selection “weaves through two movements of interesting melodies and articulate sonorities,” Isenhour said, “but closes with a very tongue-in-cheek third movement reworking of ‘When the Saints Go Marching In.’”

The penultimate work on the program is “Night Tide” by Howard Buss. The pairing of marimba and trombone are designed to recreate the evening spray of an ocean on a rocky coast.

Isenhour serves as instructor of low brass and music theory at Ouachita and directs the OBU Low Brass Ensemble. He is currently completing requirements for his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of South Carolina. He also holds his Bachelor of Music degree from Appalachian State University and his Master of Music degree from the University of Northern Colorado.

Isenhour has performed with the Charlotte Symphony, the Augusta Symphony, the Blumenthal Theater, the Greeley Philharmonic, the South Carolina Philharmonic, the Long Bay Symphony and the Union Symphony. He also has taught at the University of South Carolina and the University of Northern Colorado and has worked as a middle school band director.

Lewis serves as assistant professor of music at Ouachita and directs the OBU Percussion Ensemble and the Tiger Marching Band Drum Line. He previously served on the music faculties at Claflin University, the University of South Caroline and Florida State University. He earned his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in percussion performance from the University of South Carolina, a Master of Music degree in percussion performance from Florida State University and a Bachelor of Instrumental Music Education from Furman University.

Lewis is a noted performer and scholar with numerous orchestral, chamber and solo performance experience as well as publications, guest clinics and lectures to his credit. He is an active member of the international Percussive Arts Society and the College Music Society and is an Artist-Educator for Innovative Percussion.

For more information, contact Justin Isenhour at [email protected] or (870) 245-5144.