'Drumsticks for Thanksgiving' Percussion Concert at USU

The Utah State University Percussion ensembles and the Caine Percussion Ensemble present a “Drumsticks for Thanksgiving” concert Monday, Nov. 24, at 7:30 p.m. in the Kent Concert Hall of the Chase Fine Arts Center (approximately 1110 E. 610 North, Logan). The concert is under the direction of Dennis Griffin, percussion faculty in USU’s Department of Music and the Caine School of the Arts.

Tickets are $5, and free to USU students with ID and are available at the CSA Box Office by calling (435) 797-8022, or online.

 

“The concert will present a wide assortment of selections certain to appeal to every variety of musical taste,” Griffin said. “Joining the percussionists are new music department faculty Jason Gamer, trumpet, and Chaili Hugo, harp. They are featured in an exciting new work by Phillip Parker, Concertino for Trumpet and Percussion Ensemble. Also featured as drumset soloist for the Concerto for Drumset by John Beck is Doug Deakin, a freshman music major from Tremonton.”

 

The Caine Percussion Ensemble, a group of percussion majors on scholarship, will get things started with a rousing rendition of Memphis Stomp by film composer Dave Grusin. Next, an arrangement of Londonderry Air will demonstrate the marimba’s ability to play beautiful legato lines, Griffin said. A special number offers a tribute to veterans, Normandy Beach by Lynn Glassock.

 

The Thursday ensemble will present another theme from the movies, the Cantina Band heard in the famous bar scene from the first Star Wars movie.

 

A concert highlight is Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings, played by 12 marimbists.

 

“This performance will truly show how far percussionists have come from simply being the timekeepers/noisemakers of the music world,” Griffin said. “The beautiful harmonies of the ‘Adagio’ seem to fit perfectly with the sustaining capability of the marimbas.”

 

 

Writer: Sally Okelberry (435) 797-1500; sally.okelberry@usu.edu
Contact: Dennis Griffin, dennis.griffin@usu.edu