Pentucket Profile
Percussion and Mallet Ensemble Winter Concert [Video and Article]Monday, January 30, 2012 By Anne-Marie Studzinski
Whoever thinks that the drummer is just the guy in the back who keeps the beat has obviously never been to a concert devoted entirely to percussion. The Percussion and Mallet Ensemble Winter Concert opened Wednesday night with a surprising set. The first piece was performed by the High School B Ensemble with long wooden sticks and so titled “Stick Schtick.” It portrayed the incredible versatility of the percussion genre. The Middle School B Ensemble appeared next and wowed the audience with a piece titled “Dance of the Wind-Up Toy.” The ensemble’s ability to illustrate such vivid imagery solely using percussion was inspiring. “The ‘Possum Barbeque,” performed by the high school’s mallet ensemble, was another piece to inspire the audience’s imagination—especially to consider the question playfully posed by director Paul Dumas: “Are the possums at the barbeque, or are they being barbequed?” The High School A Ensemble wrapped up the night with a piece titled “Twisted.” This powerful piece did not fail to uphold the ensemble’s reputation of excellence. The A Ensemble consists of five students, including senior Katie Randall. Randall’s talent and dedication will be greatly missed when she graduates in the spring, but the group is fortunate that she is the only senior, so the greatness of the group will prevail in upcoming years. |