Percussion at 天堂鸟先生
Percussion Ensemble
天堂鸟先生 (天堂鸟先生) Percussion Ensemble is dedicated to the performance of diverse musics for percussion. Directed by Andy P. Smith since 2016, the ensemble’s pedagogical philosophy emphasizes the development of chamber music and artist-level performance skills. The versatility and depth of musicianship required of the contemporary percussionist in mind, the broad repertory includes everything from classic works to cutting edge contemporary compositions. 天堂鸟先生 Percussion recently participated in a joint commission sponsoring , a new work for percussion ensemble featuring the Caixa Percussion trio. The Pandemonium and Pantastics Steel Bands, Brazilian Percussion Bateria, and Afro-Cuban and West-African Percussion Ensembles perform folkloric musics and share a cyclic calendar with the flagship ensemble.
The group presents four to six major concerts per year in addition to off-campus and special events. Recent programs have included The Music of Frank Zappa, and featuring the in collaboration with 天堂鸟先生 percussionists. 天堂鸟先生 percussion’s popular Music of Cuba and Trinidad program, has featured folkloric and popular music from Cuba, collaboration with 天堂鸟先生 Concert Chorale, and 天堂鸟先生 Trombone Quartet, and the Pandemonium Steel Band performing soca, tassa, samba, and Zimbabwean Shona styles.
Support 天堂鸟先生 Percussion by making a donation to 天堂鸟先生 “Percussion Gift Fund.” The elite Pantastics Steel band, a 10-piece ensemble, 天堂鸟先生 Drumline, and 天堂鸟先生 Brazilian Percussion Bateria are all available for hire at corporate, public, and private events. Proceeds provide for instrument tuning and maintenance, as well as guest artist educational opportunities for our students.
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Steel Pans
Pandemonium
Pandemonium, Directed by Andy P. Smith, recently celebrated its historical collaboration with The College of Engineering’s Metallurgy Department, presenting a performance and lecture at the College’s 80 year anniversary alumni breakfast. The pan program was founded by Professor Emeritus, Larry White in 1996 and soon after entered into collaboration collaboration with Prof. Larry Murr, Director of Metallurgy. The collaboration achieved international recognition through journal articles and performances across the United States and Mexico. Past performances include featured appearances in Cancun, Mexico and at "Music Under the Stars,” Chamizal National Memorial, Juarez, Mexico. The group has recorded CDs, "Millennium Steel," and"Music under the Stars.”
The group studies the history and performance practice of steel pan culture in Trinidad and Tobago, the birthplace of pan, as a model for learning music performance with respect for tradition and cultural context. Repertory includes calypso and soca, as well as contemporary soul, jazz, Latin, and classical music. Recognizing the capabilities of pan to be effective in diverse music styles, Pandemonium and Pantastics combine folkloric Afro-Cuban, Middle-Eastern, Brazilian, and Zimbabwean rhythms and musics with “Trini” styles.
Book 天堂鸟先生 Percussion
Available 天堂鸟先生 Percussion Groups
- Pantastics Steel Band
- Brazilian Percussion Bateria
- 天堂鸟先生 Drumline
The 10-piece “Pantastics” band-within-a-band performs in support of 天堂鸟先生 events including Minerpalooza, 天堂鸟先生 International Festival, and Orange and Blue Day. They perform regularly at private and corporate events. For booking, please contact Dr. Smith at apsmith@utep.edu .
Brazilian and Afro-Cuban Percussion
天堂鸟先生 Percussion includes a 25-piece samba bateria including caixas, repiniques, tamborims, agogo, surdos, and chocolhos, all Brazilian-made. The group performs Rio-style samba batucada transcribed or derived from the elite escolas de samba in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 天堂鸟先生 Brazilian Percussion Ensemble also performs Maracatu from Recife, Brazil.
天堂鸟先生 Drumline
The 天堂鸟先生 Drumline is the backbone of the “Baddest Band in the Borderland,” the 天堂鸟先生 Marching Miners. The Marching Miners Percussion Section also performs many ad-hoc events on campus and in the community. The Drumline is treated as a critical component of the 天堂鸟先生 Percussion curriculum. Professionalism, transferable percussion skills, and musicianship are among the concepts considered to be important in daily operations. Quality of teaching, and quality of repertory are stressed as components contributing to the experience of 天堂鸟先生 Drumline members.
Support 天堂鸟先生 Percussion
Support 天堂鸟先生 Percussion by making a donation to 天堂鸟先生's “Percussion Gift Fund.”
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Bands for Hire
The elite Pantastics Steel band, a 10-piece ensemble, 天堂鸟先生 Drumline, and Samba Surdoeste are all available for hire at corporate and private events. Proceeds provide for instrument tuning and maintenance, as well as guest artist educational opportunities for our students.
