New Jersey Percussion Ensemble

Queens College, LeFrak Concert Hall
Day of Percussion
May 14, 2005
2:30PM

Program

Five Pieces for Percussion Quartet (2004) - Ron Mazurek
    for Percussion Quartet with Electronic Sound
                                1.      Introit
                                2.      Waves
                                3.      Scat
                                4.      Ostinato
                                5.      Mantra

April McCloskey, Justin Wolf, Joseph Bergen, Michael Sperone
Peter Jarvis – Conductor

Program notes:    

    The Five Pieces for Percussion Quartet with electronic sound were written on a commission from the New Jersey Percussion Ensemble. The introduction to this fiery and energetic work is an Introit of celebration in which fragments of the electronic sound is heard against the quartet. The style changes throughout each of the five sections but with a focus throughout on the percussive patterns driving this work. This composition is predominately a spirited interplay between the four participants. The rhythmically complex interaction between the members of the ensemble throughout the work continues forward to a dramatic climax.
                                                                                                                                                                        - Ron Mazurek

Biographical Information

    The New Jersey Percussion Ensemble directed by Peter Jarvis was founded in 1968 by Raymond DesRoches, who co-directed the group with Peter Jarvis and Gary Van Dyke until 2004. The highly acclaimed ensemble is made up of professionals and students from William Paterson University, where it has been in residence since 1972. Because of an ongoing commitment to the proliferation of percussion repertoire, numerous pieces have been written for, premiered by and recorded by the ensemble. The New Jersey Percussion Ensemble has appeared in the United States and Europe as guests of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the Group for Contemporary Music, the Composers Guild of New Jersey, the San Francisco Symphony, the Gaudeamus Foundation, Radio Denmark, and countless others. The group can be heard on Nonesuch, Composer's Recording Inc., Music and Arts, Koch International, Desoto, New World, NAXOS, the Composers Guild of New Jersey and Capstone recording labels.

Home
05/14/2005 08:24:15 AM