I am excited to finally announce the list of wonderful musicians that will be collaborating with me on my upcoming benefit concert, ...in loving memory. The event, scheduled for March 22nd, is essentially a solo recital on its surface. However, the heart and soul of the performance exists within its unique musical collaborations. I am extremely lucky to have this opportunity to share the stage with such a special group of musicians. Over the Rainbow (2015) Arranged by Robert Oetomo Solo Marimba: Trevor Barroero Marimba 2: Drew Morales | Vibraphone 1: Laura Marsh | Vibraphone 2: Michael Pratt About the piece:This arrangement of Harold Arlen's classic tune, "Over the Rainbow" from The Wizard of OZ, was originally orchestrated as a marimba solo by Robert Oetomo. This percussion ensemble rendition, completed in 2015, diversifies and thickens the texture from Oetomo's original solo arrangement by including the accompaniment of two vibraphones, glockenspiel, and a second marimba. This piece, with its intricate rubato and quasi-improvisatory passages, is a challenging endeavor for any mallet ensemble. Therefore, I am very lucky to be joined by the three graduate teaching assistants from the University of Arizona Percussion Studio! About the Musicians:![]() Drew Morales is working toward a DMA in performance with a minor in ethnomusicology while studying with Dr. Norman Weinberg at the University of Arizona. In addition to his studying at UA, Drew was the Visiting Artist of Percussion at Missouri State University in Spring 2015 and was an adjunct instructor of music at Longview College. He is on the University Committee of the Percussive Arts Society and his other teachers include Dawn Corso, Blake Tyson, Scott Cameron, and Rosa Adams-Bussard. Drew is a proud endorser of Innovative Percussion, Inc. and Remo, Inc. ![]() Laura Marsh currently serves as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at the University of Arizona. She is currently pursuing a Master of Music in Percussion Performance under the direction of Dr. Norman Weinberg, and most recently, Dr. Morris Palter. Laura teaches private lessons, percussion ensemble, and is the Director of the UA Steel Band. She received her Bachelor of Music in Music Education from West Virginia University as a student of Professor George Willis and Dr. Michael Vercelli. ![]() Michael Pratt currently serves as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at the University of Arizona where he directs the Crosstalk Electronic Percussion Ensemble and assists with the Steel Pan Ensemble. In 2016 he was the recipient of the Carpenter Endowment Fellowship Award through the University of Arizona. Michael teaches percussion through the UpBeat music program sponsored by UAPresents, serves as an advisor on the PAS Interactive Drumming Committee, as well as freelances teaching and performing in the Tucson/Phoenix area. He specializes in solo, chamber, drum set, world, and orchestral percussion. NO one To kNOW one (2010) by Andy Akiho Soprano: Clare Demer | Flute: Sarah Bosch | Cello: Katie Pabst | Clarinet: Rhiannon Bauer | Piano: Russell Ronnebaum | Percussion: Wesley Sumpter | Vibraphone: Lauren Floyd | Steel Pan: Trevor Barroero About the piece:As I discussed in last week's update, NO one To kNOW is an extremely unique chamber piece with complex syncopated phrases and polyrhythmic conversations between instruments. The work was commissioned by The Newman Center for the Performing Arts for the Mile High Voltage Festival. Our performance of the work will be the Arizona premiere. This performance is special as it will highlight the "hidden talents" of many of my fellow Flinn Scholars (by reading their bios below, you'll see that while completing a wide variety of majors in the field of science, they also somehow manage to thrive as incredible musicians!). I am also fortunate to share the stage with the ridiculously talented vocalist, Clare Demer (we both attend the Aspen Music Festival together) and my long-time duo partner and other "musical half", Russell Ronnebaum. Wesley Sumpter and Lauren Floyd, the other members of my percussion trio, will be joining us from Georgia and Maryland for this special performance. (In future posts, I will be outlining the exciting opportunities we have lined up during their time in Tucson this March!) About the Musicians:![]() Soprano Clare Demer is completing her final year of her undergraduate degree at the University of Arizona, where she has performed L'Enfant in Ravel's L'Enfant et les Sortileges and Monica in Menotti's The Medium. She is a two-time recipient of the Metropolitan Opera National Council's Encouragement Award and will be attending the Institut Canadien d'Art Vocal in Montreal this summer. ![]() Sarah Bosch is a Senior at the UA studying Neuroscience and Cognitive Science and minoring in Music. For the past 12 years, Sarah has performed in a variety of settings as a flutist. While she is interested in pursuing a career in science education, she will always consider the flute her “first best friend” and is determined to always find opportunities to continue performing throughout her future. A Flinn Scholar, she currently plays flute in the Wind Ensemble at the U of A. ![]() Katie Pabst began playing cello at the age of five. She has studied under the direction of Winifred Mayes (the first woman to be principal with the Philadelphia Orchestra) and Nancy Green (an international soloist and a student of Jacqueline du Pre). As a Flinn scholar, Katie attended the University of Arizona where, although she majored in molecular biology, she was principal cellist of the university's orchestra and substituted regularly with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra. She now lives in Tempe with her family where together they just completed personally building their own home. ![]() Natalie Groom holds degrees in Clarinet Performance from the University of Arizona and Kent State University where she studied with Jerry Kirkbride, Dennis Nygren, Amitai Vardi, and Jackie Glazier. She served as principal clarinetist of the Arizona Symphony Orchestra, graduate teaching assistant for American Rock and Popular Music, Clarinet Choir conductor, and clarinetist of the Fred Fox Graduate Wind Quintet. Currently a freelance musician and substitute clarinetist for the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, Ms. Groom also works as a private lesson instructor and masterclass clinician around Tucson. She has been an internationally touring chamber musician and performed as principal clarinet in numerous ensembles. As the most recent winner of the White Mountain Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition, she will be featured as the guest soloist in April 2017 performing Louis Spohr’s Concerto No. 1. ![]() Russell Ronnebaum is a very active pianist and composer in Tucson, Arizona. He is the music director of the St. Frances Cabrini Choir where he serves as both conductor and pianist/organist. As a collaborative pianist, Russell frequently assists the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, Arizona Opera, Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra (SASO), Tucson Masterworks Chorale, Tucson Magnet High School, and Rincon/University High School. Russell has written many works for piano. Future premieres and projects include music for string orchestra, chorus, piano, and live theatre. For more information, visit: www.RRonnebaum.com ![]() Lineage Percussion was founded in 2014 by Trevor Barroero, Lauren Floyd, and Wesley Sumpter in the Hugh Hodgson School of Music at the University of Georgia. In 2016, Lineage Percussion was a bronze medalist in the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition becoming the first percussion group in the 43-year history of the competition to be a finalist in the senior division. Endorsed as educational artists with Mike Balter Mallets and Remo Drumheads, they have presented clinics and performed recitals for elementary schools, high schools, retirement communities, and private organizations around the state of Georgia. A Little Prayer (1978) by Evelyn Glennie Gus Woodrow, guitar | Trevor Barroero, marimba About the piece:This beautifully simple chorale for solo marimba was composed by Evelyn Glennie when she was 13-years old. The piece expresses Glennie's spiritual feelings through her relaxed compositional style of the chorale. My fellow Flinn Scholar and close friend, Gus Woodrow, and I decided to collaborate on this piece and arrange it as a duet for marimba and guitar. About Gus Woodrow:![]() Gus Woodrow first gained widespread acclaim at age 17 with his appearance as a classical guitar soloist on NPR's From the Top radio program, taped live in Centennial Hall and airing to an audience of more than half a million listeners. Less than a year later, he was selected as one of eleven classical musicians to participate in National YoungArts Week, for which he traveled to Miami to perform in the New World Symphony Center. These early successes culminated in an extensive European solo tour the following summer, in which Gus performed three weeks of concerts in Holland, Germany, England, and France. Meanwhile, Gus won or achieved top prizes in 10 national and international guitar competitions. Since early 2016, he has played regular concerts of his own original music in various groups ranging from jazz trios to large rock bands. Gus also runs 17th St. Recording Studio in Tucson, and is an intuitive producer and session musician in a variety of genres. A Flinn Scholar at the University of Arizona, he is currently studying jazz under Dr. Angelo Versace. Stay Tuned...Now that all five of my graduate school auditions are complete, all focus is now shifted to my March 22nd recital! Next week's post will be filled with video clips offering a glimpse at the rest of the solo repertoire scheduled for the concert. I will also be sharing more information about my trio, Lineage Percussion, and the exciting events we have planned for the week of my recital!
shirley chann
3/3/2017 08:19:34 am
SO proud of you. what a list of wonderful musicians. have you asked if any of them are applying for medici scholar for next year?? please recommend one for me. No one can replace you. Comments are closed.
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