Monday, November 8, 2010

SOU Percussion Ensembles present "Sonic Diffusions"

Southern Oregon University Percussion Ensembles present “Sonic Diffusions” 
featuring the West Coast Premiere of Nebojsa Jovan Zivkovic’s “Tak-Nara”

(Ashland, Ore.) – The widely acclaimed Southern Oregon University (SOU) Percussion Ensembles, under the direction of Dr. Terry Longshore, will present “Sonic Diffusions” on Thursday, November 18, at 7:30 PM in the Southern Oregon University Music Recital Hall.

The SOU Percussion Ensemble and percussion quartet Compás have been praised throughout the northwest for their performances of contemporary percussion music that entertains, challenges, and excites listeners of all ages.  Composer William Kraft (former Los Angeles Philharmonic Composer-in-Residence, Associate Conductor, and Principal Timpanist) said of the ensemble, "I have never – repeat, never – been so pleased with performances of my works."

Compás will perform the west coast premiere of “Tak-Nara” by Serbian composer/percussionist Nebojsa Jovan Zivkovic, one of the artists featured at SOU’s Day of Percussion last May.  This virtuosic work for an enormous arsenal of percussion instruments is inspired by the Canary Islands, the volcanic eruptions that formed them, and various myths of the islands.

Compás will also present Christopher Deane’s “Vespertine Formations” for marimba quartet, a work inspired by the composer’s chance observation of flock maneuvers of a huge number of birds, their wing motions, and their fantastic choreography of movement.

The SOU Percussion Ensemble will perform Eric Ewazen’s monumental symphonic percussion work “The Palace of Nine Perfections.”  Ewazen states that “the three-movement work is inspired by a spectacular painting on 12 adjacent hanging scrolls by the 17th century painter, Yuan Chiang.  The three movements depict scenes from this majestic artwork.”

The concert will also feature SOU Music Performance graduate and recent recipient of the Master of Music degree from California State University, Sacramento, Bryan Jeffs.  Jeffs has recently joined the adjunct faculty of SOU and will be featured as soloist on Christopher Rouse’s “Bonham” a piece which celebrates the drumming of Led Zeppelin’s late drummer John “Bonzo” Bonham.  Other works featured will be “Apple Blossom” by Peter Garland and traditional Zimbabwean marimba composition “Isu Tauya Pano.”

Tickets for this performance are $5 for general admission and free for students.  Tickets and season passes may be purchased by calling 541-552-6101 or at the Music Box Office prior to the performance.  For more information, please visit Southern Oregon University’s Music website at http://www.sou.edu/music