The 15th annual High School Percussion Ensemble Festival welcomes area high school percussion ensembles to a weekend of clinics and master classes, featuring guest artists Russell Hartenberger (Nexus Percussion Group, Steve Reich and Musicians) and Juan (Johnny) Mendoza (Sympatico Percussion Group, McMurry University).
Festival Opening Concert (Friday at 8 p.m.) features the Ohio State Percussion Ensemble and festival guests. Program selections include Marimba Spiritual, Minoru Miki, featuring Mendoza on marimba; Moondog Suite, Russell Hartenberger, featuring Hartenberger, Mendoza, Susan Powell and Joseph Krygier; Opening Remarks, Jeffery Smith; Mangata, Kyle Krause; Tin Play, Per Andreasson; Scratch, Eugene Novotney.
Festival Closing Concert (Saturday at 7:30 p.m.) features the Festival Honors Ensemble, the Ohio State PE Festival Alumni Ensemble, Powell and Mendoza, as well as two to four schools selected from the day's performances. Program will include Into the Air, Ivan Trevino, featuring Mendoza and Powell; Fred no Frevo, Ney Rosauro, featuring the alumni ensemble; Hello Ma Baby, arr. Powell, featuring Powell and the alumni ensemble. Selections to be performed by the Festival Honors Ensemble include Atenteben, Bob Becker; Killarney, Kevin Lepper and Chichicastenango, Francisco Perez/Asi Te Sone, Bernard Hendriquez.
These concerts, as well as the high school performances on Saturday, are free and open to the public. Susan Powell, director.
