Thursday, April 12th, 2012

West Virginia Wesleyan’s Percussion Ensemble will present its spring concert on Wednesday, April 18 at 7:30 p.m.  The Percussion Ensemble will perform in Loar Auditorium under the direction of Dr. Robert Baden, professor of percussion. The night will include a variety of pieces ranging in styles from Piazzolla and Smith’s “Fugata” to Debussy’s “Golliwogg”s Cakewalk.”

“Through the use of a predominance of melodic percussion instruments the ensemble provides a wider variety of music not often heard in the more traditional percussion groups,” Baden said.

Kyle Andrews

Ensemble members will be incorporating an array of percussion instruments in their spring performance, including electronic keyboard, electric bass, guitar, and traditional battery percussion. The upcoming concert will feature students Kyle Andrews of Shepherdstown, WV, who will be performing a timpani solo, and Kristen Espina of Wheeling, WV, who will be playing tenor saxophone in “Sunset Road.”

Baden said that since the organization of the performing group in 1995, the Percussion Ensemble has become one of the more popular groups on campus with participants from all academic disciplines.

“The Ensemble is composed of music majors, both vocal and instrumental, as well as any other interested musicians within the Wesleyan Community who may not be majoring in music,” Baden commented.

Ensemble members include: Kyle Andrews, music education; Thomas Blue of Shepherdstown, WV, music education; Kara Chenoweth of Buckhannon, music education; Kristen Espina, chemistry; Emily Hammond of Charleston, WV, music performance; Dillon Huffman of Mt. Nebo, WV, biomedical engineering; Max Garner of Bridgeport, WV, secondary education; Justin Kennedy of Buckhannon, music education; Megan Richmond of Beaver, WV, music education; Cody Rosencrance of Buckhannon, music performance; Hannah Spencer of Ronceverte, WV, music performance.

The concert is free and open to the public.