BRATTLEBORO — The UMass Percussion Group presents a program of contemporary music for percussion ensemble at the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center (BMAC) on Saturday, Feb. 28, at 7 p.m.
Other than J.S. Bach's “Lute Suite in E Minor,” an excerpt of which will be performed on marimba, the oldest work on the program is composer Steve Reich's “Drumming” from 1971. Reich was heralded by The New Yorker as “the most original musical thinker of our time.”
Other works to be performed include Andy Akiho's “21,” a 2009 composition that references Bach's “Well-Tempered Clavier"; excerpts from Alejandro Vintildeao's 2011 “Book of Grooves"; and Thierry de Mey's visually and aurally stunning 1987 “Musique de Tables,” which explores the relationship between musical sounds and the physical gestures that produce them.
“In addition to being a museum, we are an art center,” says BMAC Director Danny Lichtenfeld, “and in that capacity we strive to showcase contemporary creative expression in a wide range of forms, including music.”
According to Lichtenfeld, the pairing of contemporary art and music is a mutually beneficial one, offering audience members the opportunity to draw connections across genres.
The UMass Percussion Group is directed by percussionist Ayano Kataoka, known for her brilliant and dynamic technique, as well as the unique elegance and artistry she brings to her performances.
A versatile performer, Kataoka regularly presents music of diverse genres and mediums. She was the first percussionist to be chosen for The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center's Chamber Music Society Two. She joined the faculty of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 2008.
Ensemble members performing at BMAC on Feb. 28 include Bridget Ambers, Alex Beltran, Ray Cole, Kyle Dubois, Rose Martin, Dustin Patrick, Rob Rocheteau, Erin Tighe, and Mitch Tilghman.