Ouachita Stories

Ouachita Baptist University’s Percussion Ensemble will present a concert on Wednesday, April 3, at 8 p.m. in Ouachita’s McBeth Recital Hall in Mabee Fine Arts Center. The concert is free and open to the public.

The Ouachita Percussion Ensemble will perform five pieces for the evening’s concert, including sessions of free improvisations that are inspired by the composed works.

“We hope to expose the audience to a wide variety of percussion instruments and show the musical possibilities of the instruments and performers,” said Dr. Ryan Lewis, associate professor of music and director of the ensemble. “Two of the performances will be improvised in the moment, which is very exciting for the performers and audience alike.”

The concert will begin with “Free Improvisation #1: Sunrise and Sunset in the Amazon Rain Forest” composed by the Ouachita Percussion Ensemble, followed by Ney Rosauro’s “Marimba Concerto No. 1” and “Wart Hog No. 3” by Austin Wrinkle.

“Wart Hog No. 3” is inspired by the rhythms of North Indian Hindustani music, and “each student has chosen a hand drum from a culture from around the world to learn to play through this piece,” Lewis said.

To conclude the concert, the Percussion Ensemble will perform “Free Improvisation #2: Shadowlands” composed by the Ouachita Percussion Ensemble and “Shadow Chasers” by Michael Burritt. “Shadow Chasers” will feature a special guest artist, Dr. Scott Herring, professor of percussion at the University of South Carolina. Dr. Herring will be on campus prior to the concert rehearsing with students and presenting a concert percussion clinic.

“We hope to expose the audience to the true musical and creative power of percussion instruments,”  Lewis said.

For more information, contact Dr. Ryan Lewis at (870) 245-5421 or [email protected] or visit www.obu.edu/percussion.

 

By Madison Cresswell

March 15, 2019

• Tags:
• Concert/Recital
• Instrumental Music
• Music
• School of Fine Arts