The BYU–Hawaii faculty improv band, Crosscurrent, will perform on Friday, May 4, 2012 with special guest Jeff Narell, an internationally known steel drummer. Darren Duerden, music professor at BYU–Hawaii, who also serves as president of the Percussion Arts Society Hawaii Chapter (PAS), describes the music as “jazz mashed with Pacific cultures.”
Friday, May 4McKay Auditorium7:30 PM
“The idea behind the concert’s theme, ‘A Pacific-Caribbean Fantasy,’ is marrying the island world and cultures with jazz music,” says Duerden. He describes the songs as having Samoan pieces with an American Jazz flavor, Brazilian songs mixed with Tahitian beats, and Tongan sounds mixed with Dominican Republic rhythm.
Special guest Jeff Narell was first introduced to the steel pan when he was eleven years old. Since then he has taught at multiple schools, from the elementary level through universities. Narell will perform Tongan folk songs in a Brazilian style and Brazilian music performed in a Caribbean style.
A Day of Percussion
Another musical event, “A Day of Percussion,” will be on Saturday, May 5, 2012. Registration begins at 8:30 AM at the McKay Auditorium, and the event continues throughout the day with activities such as performances, door prizes and the fastest drummer competition. Jeff Narell, Robert Van Sice, and Stephen Dinion will give musical clinics, and the Kahuku High School Percussion Ensemble and BYU–Hawaii’s Shaka Steel will perform.
A Day of Percussion Schedule of Activities:
8:30 Doors open: Registration
9:00 Timpani Clinic with Steve Dinion, Hawaii Symphony Orchestra
9:45 Door prize giveaway
10:00 Marimba Clinic with Robert Van Sice, Professor of Percussion, Yale University
10:45 Door prize giveaway
11:00 Mass Steel Band Clinic with Jeff Narell, Steel Pan Artist
12:00 Lunch break: ‘World’s Fastest Drummer Competition’ in the Auditorium lobby. All registrants invited to participate
1:00 High School Percussion Ensemble performances
2:00 Door prize giveaway
3:30 End of activities
Admission for general public: $8
PAS members/HS students: $5
BYU–Hawaii students/faculty/staff: free with ID