ARKADELPHIA — Ouachita Baptist University’s brass and percussion ensembles will present a concert at 7:30 p.m. Monday in McBeth Recital Hall. The free concert is open to the public and will feature the Percussion Ensemble, directed by Ryan Lewis; the Trumpet Ensemble, directed by Craig Hamilton; the Horn Ensemble, directed by Heather Thayer; and the Low Brass Ensemble, directed by Justin Isenhour.
The Low Brass Ensemble will perform “Song for Japan,” by Steven Verheist. The piece was written after the tsunami that hit Japan earlier this year.
“Our public attention span for events like this is so brief that I thought it would be prudent to bring it back up in our concert,” said Isenhour, an instructor of music. “Plus, I think the piece is just beautiful writing.”
The Percussion Ensemble will perform “Log Cabin Blues,” by George Hamilton Green. The piece features a ragtime xylophone solo and a marimba quartet with Chris Hogan, a freshman music education major from Bartlesville, Okla., as soloist.
“The ensemble will also present ‘World Beat Sonata,’ by Robert Damm, which combines world, classical and found instruments such as log drums, timpani and saw blade with world-beat rhythms and classical sonata form, an interesting juxtaposition of instruments and styles,” Lewis said. “The ensemble will also play a STOMP-inspired piece for 5-gallon buckets by Julie Davila called ‘Recycled.’ All three of these pieces are not conducted, which gives the students the opportunity to learn how to perform and communicate visually and musically with one another.”
The Trumpet Ensemble will present “Suite for Three Trumpets,” by William Presser, and “Pavane and Canzonetta,” by Leroy Ostransky.
“Nonmusic majors should come to all concerts to experience the variety of music,” Isenhour said. “This concert will contain a plethora of interesting works. It is always a joy to share something that you’ve worked on with others.”
For more information, call OBU’s School of Fine Arts at (870) 245-5129.
Tri-Lakes, Pages 56 on 10/27/2011