Percussion Ensemble and World Percussion Ensemble

PERCUSSION PROGRAM

Percussion Ensemble & World Percussion Ensemble

Director: Joseph Gramley

Percussion Ensemble Description

The University of Michigan Percussion Ensemble has over the years commissioned, performed and recorded works from a global array of musical cultures. Many of the compositions it has premiered have gone on to enter the standard percussion canon.

During more than two decades under the direction of Dr. Michael Udow, the Ensemble continually increased the breadth of both its repertoire and audience. It has toured extensively throughout the United States and Asia, especially Japan, where it performed with marimba virtuoso Keiko Abe and participated in a televised concert with the famed traditional-music group,
Pro Musica Nipponia.

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The Ensemble has appeared at the international conventions of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association and the Percussive Arts Society, at whose 1998 gathering in Orlando, Florida, it performed Dr. Udow's opera The Shattered Mirror. Closer to its Michigan home the group has often performed as part of the Thunder Bay Arts Council's Artist Series as well as at the Holland Festival.

The Ensemble has recorded several CDs available on the Equilibrium label, including Border Crossing, Imaginary Landscape, Coyote Dreams, and Transmutations and Metamorphoses, by Dary John Mizelle, which the Ensemble premiered at New York's Merkin Hall. It recently performed “Tracks and Vapor Trails” by Michael Kowalski on the Einstein CD Gringo Blaster, and it can be heard on Brian Bevelander's Distant Vision CD.

The Ensemble also performs as the University of Michigan World Percussion Ensemble. On those occasions the group presents an eclectic international repertoire that includes African drumming, steel-pan music, Middle-Eastern frame drumming, Brazilian samba and Afro-Cuban Bata drumming.

Many Guest Artists perform with the Percussion Ensemble as part of their visits to the University of Michigan.

Professor Joseph Gramley will begin directing the Ensemble in the 2007-08 academic year.

World Percussion Ensemble Directors

Neeraj Mehta has been playing percussion from the age of 10, and is an active performer and educator in a wide variety of percussive styles. He has performed with the Madison Symphony Orchestra, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, and was an active performer in southeast Wisconsin’s new music and jazz scenes including weekly performances with legendary funk drummer Clyde Stubblefield of the James Brown band. He has studied with Cuban percussionist Roberto Vizcaino Guillot, as well as San Francisco Latin percussionists John Santos and Michael Spiro. He recently completed fieldwork in Cuba on a grant from the University of Michigan Center for World Performance Studies where he studied many Afro-Cuban percussive styles in the two cities of Havana and Matanzas. He has recorded with various artists and ensembles including Alan Abel, Michael Udow, Ian Ding, the Tony Castañeda Latin Jazz Sextet, Scattershot, and Apple’s Garage Band software. Neeraj holds a Master of Music Degree from the University of Michigan, and a Bachelor of Music Performance degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Neil Sisauyhoat is a versatile percussionist specializing in classical, contemporary, and Afro-Cuban percussion. Neil is currently a Doctoral student at the University of Michigan, where he directs the World Percussion Ensemble. He holds degrees from Lawrence University and Mannes College of Music. As an orchestral musician, Neil made his Carnegie Hall debut in 2005 with the Red Bull Artsehcro Orchestra and has also performed at Lincoln Center and Symphony Space in New York City and Verizon Hall in Philadelphia. He was a finalist in the 1999 Percussive Arts Society Keyboard Percussion Duo Contest and performed at PASIC in Columbus, OH. Performance credits include Berkeley Opera, San Francisco Lyric Opera, and Michigan Chamber Players. Neil is a founding member of Grupo Ara Oko, an Afro-Cuban Folkloric ensemble based in New York City. He recently recorded audio examples to accompany the forthcoming text, From "Blue Suede Shoes" to "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes": The Foundations of Rock, published by Oxford University Press. Neil can be heard on the Equilibrium label.

Neil began his studies of non-western music in 1997, focusing on the folkloric percussion of Cuba and Brazil. Following college, Neil relocated to San Francisco, CA, where he studied extensively with Michael Spiro. While in S.F., Neil provided accompaniment for weekly Afro-Cuban folkloric dance classes. In 2003, Neil studied in Cuba with Regino Jimenez and Daniel Alfonso. Neil has also studied Arabic percussion in New York with Glen Velez.

Past Repertoire

March 29, 2008

World Percussion Ensemble

Samba Reggae Traditional Brazilian Arr. Neil Sisauyhoat

Coba Glen Velez

Piru Bole John Bergamo

Tel Halaf Glen Velez

Yumbambe Joseph Estevez, Jr. and Alejandro Gonzalo Arr. Ron Brough

Los Jardineros de Ann Arbor: Catumba y Comparsa Roberto Vizcaino Guillot/Amado Garica Dedeu Arr. Neeraj Mehta

-Ingrid Racine, trumpet

March 9, 2008

'Catch Me If You Can'

Apple Blossom (1972) Peter Garland

Matra (1986) Akira Nishimura

Handmade Proverbs -four pop songs (2002)Toru Takemitsu Arr. Robin Engleman

K'in Sventa Ch'ul Me'tik Kwadalupe ["Festival for the Holy Mother of Guadalupe"] (2002) Osvaldo Golijov Arr. Joseph Gramley

Nagoya Marimbas (1994) Steve Reich

Metro Chabacano (1991) Javier Alvarez Trans./Arr. Jeffrey Barudin)

Omphalo Centric Lecture (1984) Nigel Westlake

Catch Me If You Can (2005) Steven Kleiman

-World Premiere

December 2, 2007

'American Tradition and Innovation'

Double Music (1941) John Cage & Lou Harrison

Third Construction (1941) John Cage

Concerto for Violin with Percussion Orchestra (1949/55) Lou Harrison

-Jeanine Markley, violin

Rock Etude No. 7 (1986) Michael Udow & Bill Douglass

Six Marimbas (1973/86) Steve Reich

The Persistence of Past Chemistries (1999) Charles B. Griffin Michigan Premiere

November 10, 2007

World Percussion Ensemble

Guiro Traditional Afro-Cuban

Bata-Iyesa para Ogun y Ochun Traditional Afro-Cuban Arr. Sisauyhoat/Mehta

Pan In My System Ray Holman Arr. Eugene Novotney

Congo Yambumba (Rumba Yambu) Jesus Alfonso

No Quiero Problemas (Rumba Guaguanco) Jesus Alfonso

Columbia (Rumba Columbia) D.R./Tata Guines

Samba Batacuda Traditional Brazilian Arr. Mehta

April 14, 2007

Clapping Music (1972) Steve Reich

Drumming (1970/1971) Steve Reich

Ferbruary 10, 2007

World Percussion Ensemble

Maracatu Traditional Brazilian
Jump Up Chris Tanner
Makuta Traditional Afro-Cuban
Yuka Traditionai Afro-Cuban
Palo Traditional Afro-Cuban
Tobago Jam Len "Boogsie" Sharpe
Samba Batucada Traditional Brazilian

December 10, 2006

Contrapuntus IX from the Art of the Fugue J.S. Bach/Vincent

Timelines (2004) Michael Udow

              -Alan Abel, soloist

Telisi Odyssey (2004) Russell Hartenberger

Black Shogun (2006) Michael Udow

              -Ian Ding, soloist

The Invisible Proverb (2002) Russell Hartenberger

April 2, 2006

Toyama (1993) by Michael Udow

Raga No. 2 (2000) by William Cahn

Ann Arbor Fantasia ( April 2, 2006) Ensemble Improvisation

Samba Batucada Traditional/Brazil

Gymnastic Games (1996) by Taiki Nishihara

Balalaika – Russian Folk Song Suite (1979) Traditional/ arr. William Cahn

Night Ride (2005) by William Cahn

Time Traveler (2000) by William Cahn

December 4, 2005

Red Earth (2004) by Christopher Hardy

Drama, Op. 23 (Jan. 25, 1996 – Beijing) by Wenjing Guo

Hook (1991) by Graham Fitkin

Haikusticos (1998) by Enrique Guimera

Burrico de Pau by A. Carlos Gomes – adap. Fernando Hashimoto

Apparition by Michael Udow

              -Brian Jones, timpanist

Rio Grande Riffs (2004) by Michael Udow

December 8, 2002

Timbrack Quartet (1978) by Michael Udow

Three Seminal Works for Percussion Ensemble

              -Directed by Professor Emeritus, Thomas Siwe, University of Illinois

October Mountain (1942) by Alan Hovhaness

Ostinato Pianissimo (1934) by Henry Cowell

Toccata (1942) by Carlos Chavez

Stubernic (1995 –copyright year) by Mark Ford

The Art of Roland Vazquez

?Tu Sabes? (2002) by Roland Vazquez

No Rest for the Bones … of the Dead (2002) by Roland Vazquez

              -Roland Vazquez, drums

December 2, 2001

Conversation in the Forest (1988) by Keiko Abe

Wind Across Mountains by Keiko Abe

Bukateinde

              -Isaac Rains, mbira

Coyote Dreams (1997) by Michael Udow

Rock Etude #7 (1986) by Bill Douglas and Michael Udow

Nhema Musasa

              -Isaac Rains, mbira

Sithi Amen– Zimbabwe balaphone music – transcribed by Maria Minnaar

El Tigre – marimba folk music from Chiapas, Mexico – arr. Laurence Kaptain

Soy Buen Tuxleco – marimba folk music from Chiapas, Mexico – arr. Kaptain

Marimba Spiritual (1984) by Minoru Miki

Saturday, October 20, 2001

Conversation in the Forest (1988) by Keiko Abe

Wind Across Mountains Keiko Abe

Kariga Mombe

              -Isaac Rains, mbira

Coyote Dreams (1997) by Michael Udow

Nhema Musasa

              -Isaac Rains, mbira

Sithi Amen– Zimbabwe balaphone music transcribed by: Tomoko Azuma, coach with students

El Tigre arr. Laurence Kaptain

              -Marimba folk music from Ciapas, Mexico

Soy Buen Tuxtleco arr. Laurence Kaptain

              -Marimba folk music from Chiapas, Mexico

Wind Sketch by Keiko Abe

Bukateinde

              -Isaac Rains, mbira

Marimba Spiritual (1984) by Minoru Miki

Saturday, March 31, 2001

Three Seminal Percussion Works

                -Presented by Thomas Siwe

IV (1935) by Johanna Beyer

Ionization (1931) by Edgard Varese

Canticle No. 3 (1941-42) by Lou Harrison

              -Dawn Kulak, ocarina

              -Carrie Magin, guitar

Tambourine Paraphrase (1996) by Keiko Abe

Rosewood Dreaming (1997 – revised 2000) by William Cahn

              -Brian Zator, marimba

Fest of Famine (2000) by Roshanne Etezady

              -Tomoko Azuma, marimba

March 26, 2000

Bombardments No. 2 (1966) by Robert Moran

Contrapunctus IX from The Art of the Fugue by Johann Sebastian Bach

Stained Glass (1991) by David Gillingham

Dreamscape for solo marimba and percussion ensemble (2000) by Jonathan Ovalle

              -World Premier

              -Jonathan Ovalle, marimba

Desperate Attitudes (1999) by Gordon Stout

April 11, 1999

Flashback (1990) by Michael Udow

Tambourine Paraphrase (1996) by Keiko Abe

Canticle No. 1 (1940) by Lou Harrison

Zui Zui Zukkoro Bashi Traditional arr. Mayumi Hama

Coyote Dreams (1997) by Michael Udow

Toyama (1995) by Michael Udow

Marimba Spiritual (1983) by Minoru Miki

Dill Pickles by Charles L. Johnson arr. Steven Aho

Preta porter de taffeta by Joao Bosco

Bonham (1988) by Christopher Rouse

University of Michigan Steel Band

Both of Them by The Mighty Sparrow arr. Shelly Irvine

Panyard by Franz Grissom

Maryanne Traditional

December 6, 1998

First Construction in Metal (1941) by John Cage

Farmer’s Trust (1981) by Pat Metheny arr. Steve Houghton and Tom Warrington

Musica Battuta (1965) by Harold Schiffman

Balalaika (1979) by William Cahn

Crash Course (1995) by James Campbell

Tambu-Bambu Traditional

Abakua, Guaguanco Traditional

Panchita Steel Band

Groovelab by Jonathan Ovalle

Hot Dancers by Steve Aho

Poom-Poom by Super Blue arr. Tom Miller

El Preciso Muito Amor by Chico da Silva arr. Dan DeSena

April 25, 1998

Nagoya Marimbas (1994) by Steve Reich

Coyote Dreams (1997) by Michael Udow

Tune (1965) by Mario Bertancini

Tala (1982) by Akira Nishimura

April 5, 1998

Rumba Clave (1989) by Robert Vizacaino

Conversation in the Forest (1988) by Keiko Abe

Bell Music (1975) by Jeffrey Kresky

Rhythm Song (1980) by Paul Smadbeck

Head Talk by Mark Ford

Jovial Jasper (1927) by George Hamilton Green arr. Bob Becker

Xylophonia by Joe Green arr. Bob Becker

Keep Movin’ by G.H. Green arr. Bob Becker

Burnt Fingers by William Albright arr. Aaron Sherman

Dill Pickles by Charles Johnson arr. Bob Becker

December 7, 1997

Omphalo Centric Lecture (1984) by Nigel Westlake

Cantillations (1997) – World Premier by John Polito II

Synthecisms No. 6 (1997) – World Premier by Brian Bevelander

Gainsboro by Thomas Gauger

              -Mark Griffith, conductor

Square and Round (1983) by Per Norgard

Panchita

Steel Band Paradise by Ray Holman

Caribe Traditional arr. Jonathan Ovalle

March 22, 1997

Progression for Handclap (1996) by Noriko Hisada

Eunoe (1996) by Noriko Hisada

Suite for Percussion (1942) by Lou Harrison

Fanfare for Tambourines (1983) by John Alfieri

Legend of the Sleeping Bear (1984) by John Alfieri

Polysonics (1988) by Anthony Miranda

Gahu – Traditional Ewe – Ghana and Togo Regions, Africa arr. Jeremy Church

U of M Steel Bands

Pan in My System – Soca by Ray Holman

Power – Reggae by cliff Alexis

Stefano – Latin by Steve Aho

December 8, 1996

Drumming (1970/1971) by Steve Reich

December 3 , 1995

Music for Cross Cultures No. 1 (1978) by Michael W. Udow

Four Colors for Percussion (1979) by Edward Largent

Sarau para Radames (1993) by Paulinho da Viola arr. Anthony Di Sanza

Charleston Capers (early 1930s) by George Hamilton Green

African Influences Traditional arr. Percussion Ensemble

The Black Page (1977) by Frank Zappa

Pleiades (1978) by Iannis Xenakis

November 29, 1995

African Influences Traditional arr. U-M Percussion Ensemble

Balibuulira Wakoli Traditional

Sarau Para Ramades (1993) by Paulinho da Viola arr. Anthony Di Sanza

Maryen by Gabriel Solis Gallegos

Pichucalco by Rafael De Paz arr. Laurence Kaptain

Music for Cross Cultures No. 1 (1983) by Michael Udow

Nola (1916) by Felix Arndt Xylophone arr. By G.H. Green, Marimbas arr. by W. Cahn

Charleston Capers (early 1930s) by G.H Green arr. Bob Becker

Four Colors for Percussion by Edward Largent

N’Fan Mot (1991) by J.L. Ponty/B. Worsy arr. M. Sexton

The Black Page (1977) by Frank Zappa arr. U-M Percussion Ensemble

Tribeca Sunflower (1994) by Julie Spencer

November 15, 1995

African Influences Traditional arr. Percussion Ensemble

Nola (1916) by Felix Arndt – xylophone arr. G. H. Green, marimbas arr. W. Cahn

Music for Cross Cultures No. 1 (1983) by Michael Udow

A Whispering (1972) by William Duckworth

Charleston Capers (early 1930s) by George Hamilton Green

Sarau Para Radames (1993) by Paulinho da Viola

April 2, 1995

Ionization (1931) by Edgard Varese

Why (1994) by Gernot Blume

mm-hmm – World Premier (1995) by John Polito 2

Tribeca Sunflower – World Premier (1994) by Julie Spencer

Momentum (1966) by William Kraft

Nag Champa – World Premier (1995) – based on a 22/8 theme by Equilibrium - by Shirlee Berman, Jeremy Church and T.J. Troy

Marubatoo (1988) by John Wyre

Take That (1972) by William Albright

etc...

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