“The soloists demonstrated a jaw-dropping level of skill, precision, and artistry in the performance. The music not only demands individual virtuosity, but an extreme synergy in executing not only the complex rhythmic patterns but the intricate, lyrical lines. The four percussionists worked together so seamlessly that they almost seemed to share [a] kind of psychic connection. Hearing (and seeing) them perform was a pure joy.” – Hartford Courant

The Percussion Collective transcends the medium of percussion through uncommon performance experiences that surprise and engage audiences at a profound emotional level. This collection of young artists, assembled by legendary performer and pedagogue Robert van Sice, is reinventing the concert experience through the hallmarks of van Sice’s musical approach: precise execution, sonic refinement, and dynamic onstage communication. Using marimbas, vibraphones, and an assortment of drums and other struck instruments, The Percussion Collective will perform Emmy Award-winning composer Garth Neustadter’s Seaborne, a musical and visual work at the nexus of the percussive art soundscape. Neustadter’s mastery of cinematic composition and Kjell van Sice’s poetic aquatic images produce a powerful collaboration, paving the way for Steve Reich’s iconic Sextet to end the program.

They have toured throughout the United States and China, featuring performances of Neustadter’s Seaborne in Shanghai Symphony Hall, the stunning Jiangsu Grand Theatre in Nanjing, and the exquisite Temple in Beijing. The tour was received with resounding critical acclaim. The Percussion Collective’s 2019–20 season began with performances of Drum Circles with The Aspen Festival Orchestra and maestro Michael Stern, The Hartford Symphony and maestro Carolyn Kuan, and The Curtis Symphony Orchestra in Verizon Hall. Further performances included the Baltimore Symphony, Colorado Symphony and Grant Park Orchestra.

The roster of The Percussion Collective includes some of the world’s most esteemed and dynamic young voices in the art form. They are drawn from the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Camerata Pacifica, the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble as well as faculty members from universities such as Miami’s Frost School of Music, Michigan State University, the University of Massachusetts, Vanderbilt’s Blair School of Music, and the University of Kansas. Featuring players from Europe, Asia, and the US, this new generation of virtuosi represent the leading edge of innovation in concert conception and performance.

PROGRAM:

NEUSTADTER Seaborne

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REICH Sextet