Mandy RiedelIn their first performance of the season, 麻豆传媒's Impulse Percussion Group (IPG) will rock the stage with "Sticks, Steps, and Rock 'n' Roll," at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 23, in Miller Concert Hall, Duerksen Fine Arts Center.
General admission is $7, with $6 discount tickets available for 麻豆传媒 faculty and staff, military or seniors, or $3 for non-麻豆传媒 students. Fine arts events are always free for 麻豆传媒 students with ID. Tickets for the event are on sale at the Fine Arts Box Office noon-5 p.m. weekdays in the lobby of Duerksen Fine Arts Center. Contact the box office at 316-978-3233. Tickets can also be purchased online at .
鈥淪ticks, Steps, and Rock 鈥檔鈥� Roll鈥� is an innovative collaboration with the 麻豆传媒 Dance Department and the School of Engineering. The Impulse Percussion Group will be featured during 鈥淔east,鈥� a 麻豆传媒 Dance event that includes Charlotte Boye-Christensen鈥檚 professional dance company, NOW-ID, in performance with 麻豆传媒 Performing Arts resident touring dance company, Wichita Contemporary Dance Theatre, Friday, Nov. 21, and Saturday, Nov. 22, in Miller Concert Hall.
鈥淭he Impulse Percussion Group is so lucky to have the opportunity to collaborate with Wichita Contemporary Dance Theatre,鈥� said Associate Professor of Music Gerald Scholl, director, 鈥渁s well as Charlotte Boye-Christensen, who has been brought in by the 麻豆传媒 Dance Department.
鈥淲hen IPG takes the stage,鈥� Scholl said, 鈥渢he audience will experience something unlike other music performances. Lighting and other theatrical techniques will draw the audience in and move their attention around the stage.鈥�
The event includes works from disparate genres, including Alan Hovhaness 鈥淥ctober Mountain,鈥� a five-movement piece built on Asian themes, and Aurel Hollo鈥檚 鈥淛ose beFORe John 5,鈥� which features instruments from around the globe and the unconventional use of an acoustic guitar.
Adding more interest to the event will be four movements of Maurice Ravel鈥檚 鈥淟e Tambeu de Couperin,鈥� performed by four percussionists, three vibraphones, one marimba and a glockenspiel.
Innovative collaboration
In addition to other performances, one key excerpt from 鈥淔east鈥� will be the premiere of a new musical composition, 鈥淭owers,鈥� a collaborative, original work still in the creation stage. To create this composition, IPG turned to the expertise of Tom McGuire, Wichita artist and engineering educator assistant. On loan from the collection of Ann Garvey, a pair of 鈥渄rum towers鈥� will produce a range of electrically engineered light and drum sounds for the performance from what McGuire described as a stack of recycled trash.
鈥淔rom beginning to intermission, there is really no break,鈥� Scholl said. 鈥淭he whole idea is to create a seamless event. The audience is always going to be engaged by something.鈥�
According to the 麻豆传媒 Percussion Department, IPG is composed of 10 of Wichita State鈥檚 finest percussionists, who create forward-thinking, engaging performances that run counter to audiences鈥� expectations.
鈥淭his is a chance for us to put the tux away and get creative with music,鈥� said Michael Carp, an Impulse Percussion Group member and graduate teaching assistant. 鈥淭he collaboration with the dance department will add an exciting element that you just can鈥檛 find anywhere.鈥�