Ouachita Stories

Ouachita Baptist University will host the OBU Percussion Ensemble in concert on Monday, March 30, at 7:30 p.m. and the Tiger Steel drum ensemble concert on Wednesday, April 1, at 7:30 p.m. Both concerts will feature guest artist Dr. Chris Hanning, will be held in McBeth Recital Hall on Ouachita’s campus and are free and open to the public.

Hanning is a professor of percussion at West Chester University and performs with the Peter Paulsen Quintet, the Bach Festival Orchestra of Bethlehem and Relâche, Philadelphia’s premier contemporary music ensemble. He has performed on numerous recordings for NFL Films over the past 12 years, including several Emmy Award-winning projects. His work can be heard every year when the Lombardi Trophy music is played during the Super Bowl.

“One of the things that Hanning does really well is he’s very well-rounded,” said Dr. Ryan Lewis, OBU assistant professor of percussion and director of Tiger Steel and the Percussion Ensemble. “That’s not only what we want from a liberal arts university but especially as percussionists we’re expected to do so many different things, play so many different instruments and do them well. Dr. Hanning is a good role model as a well-rounded, professional, successful percussionist.”

The OBU Percussion Ensemble includes 21 students playing primarily classic percussion repertoire. Tiger Steel includes 20 students performing calypso music originating from Trinidad and Tobago.

“Being in Tiger Steel and Percussion Ensemble is amazing,” said Chris Hogan, a senior music education major from Bartlesville, Okla. “It provides great musical opportunities, both for experienced and inexperienced players. The atmosphere is always friendly and is great for growth as a musician and a person.”

“You won’t regret coming to the concerts,” said Abby Tipps, sophomore music education major with a percussion emphasis from Sulphur Springs, Texas. “There is going to be a lot of different, well-rounded styles of music.”

The set list for Percussion Ensemble will include: Dave Hall’s “Escape Velocity,” Michael Colgrass’ “Three Brothers,” Ivan Trevino’s “Catching Shadows,” Baljinder Sekhon’s “Passageways,” Andrew Thomas’ “Witch Howl,” Chris Hanning’s “Mirror Image” and David Mancini’s “Suite for Solo Drum Set.” This will be the Arkansas premiere performance of “Passageways,” which will feature Hogan on tenor pan. Hanning will be featured in “Witch Howl,” “Mirror Image” and “Suite for Solo Drum Set,” and Lewis will be featured in “Witch Howl.”

The set list for Tiger Steel will include: Harry Belafonte’s “Jump in the Line.” Cal Tjader’s “Mambo Mindoro,” Basia’s “Astrud,” Duke Ellington’s “C-Jam Blues,” Mighty Sparrow’s “Soca Pressure,” a reggae arrangement of Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling In Love” and Lord Kitchener’s “Pan in A Minor.” Hanning will be featured on “C-Jam Blues,” along with Professor Emeritus of Music Dr. Sim Flora, and “Pan in A Minor.” Hogan and Elizabeth Baker, a senior instrumental music performance and psychology double major from Grapevine, Texas, will be featured on “Mambo Mindoro.”

“Everyone is guaranteed to hear something that they enjoy,” Lewis added. “They’re guaranteed to hear something new that they have never heard before. They’re guaranteed to see percussion instruments used in completely new and exciting ways.”

While Hanning is on campus, he also will offer a clinic on the recording environment on Wednesday, April 1, at 2 p.m., in the Mabee Fine Arts Center band room.

For more information, contact Dr. Ryan Lewis at [email protected] or (870) 245-5421.

 

By Taylor Black