BRATTLEBORO — The UMass Percussion Ensemble will perform at the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center on Saturday, Feb. 25, at 7 p.m. Admission is $5 at the door, free for BMAC members and youth 18 and under.
The concert includes eight works for various combinations of percussion instruments, including “Music for Pieces of Wood” by Steve Reich; “Angels” for nine triangles, by Vermont-based composer Stuart Saunders Smith; “The Lonelyness of Santa Claus” for two marimbas, by Swedish composer Fredrik Andersson; and compositions by Akira Miyoshi, Minoru Miki, Peter Klatzow, Per Nørgård, and Alejandro Viñao.
“We are in the business of nurturing contemporary creative expression,” said BMAC Director Danny Lichtenfeld. “Usually that's in the form of visual art, but when we have the opportunity to present outstanding music and musicians in our galleries, we love to do that."
The UMass Percussion Ensemble consists of undergraduate and graduate percussion students at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. The ensemble is directed by Ayano Kataoka, a percussionist known for her brilliant and dynamic technique as well as the unique elegance and artistry she brings to her performances.
A leading proponent of contemporary repertoire, Kataoka has participated in several consortiums to commission new works for solo marimba or chamber ensemble.
The musicians performing at BMAC on Feb. 25 include Christopher Cossuto, Lindsey Hartfelder, Casey Jones, Christopher Keeler, Seth Lampert, Dominic Mrakovcich, Maxwell Newman, Sean O'Rourke, Jonathan Schmidt, Mitch Tilghman, and Thomas Wilson.
The concert will be followed by a reception with the performers. For more information, call 802-257-0124 or visit www.brattleboromuseum.org.