PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE

The MSU Percussion Ensembles have  performed throughout the United States, The Peoples Republic of China, and Brazil. Concert venues have included the famed Beijing Concert Hall and Central Conservatory of Music, The Peoples Republic of China, Sala Sao Paulo Concert Hall, Conservatório Dramático e Musical "Dr. Carlos de Campos" de Tatuí, Brazil. Recent major conference performances have included, Percussion Arts Society International Conference, North American Brass Band Association, Kentucky Music Educators Association. The Ensemble has been featured on Kentucky Educational Television Mixed Media program and the performance was selected as “Best of the Best” for that seasons programming. A quote from the review by Colin Holman of the ensembles performance at the Final Gala Concert at the NABBA conference in Charleston, WV; “It was brilliant advertising, refreshing entertainment, a breath of fresh air after the weekend of intense competition, and youthful virtuosity at its finest.”

The group performs a wide range of musical styles and includes a great deal of  world music in the performance repertoire. The newly formed MSU Steel Band and African Ensemble function as extensions of the percussion ensemble and offer opportunities to study and perform multicultural music. There are two percussion ensembles offered at MSU, a freshman group directed by Brian Mason and an upperclassmen ensemble directed by Frank Oddis.

Media Links:

Percussion Ensemble Photos

Free download of RealPlayer

MSU Percussion Ensemble Performances of:

• Afro by P. d'Rivera, arr. Frank Oddis, pub. Drop 6 Media (© KET, Mixed Media, used by permission)
• The Wave  by K. Abe (© KET, Mixed Media, used by permission)