Greenville Symphony

Event Guide

Table of Contents

Program

Guest Artist Biogrpahies

Program Notes

Movers, Shakers, and Noise-Makers

Saturday, March 22 at 3:00 pm | Sunday, March 23 at 3:00 pm

Program

Greenville Symphony Orchestra
Lee Mills, Music Director
Thomas A. and Shirley W. Roe Podium Fund

Movers, Shakers, and Noise-Makers
Gunter Theatre
Saturday, March 22 at 3:00 pm
Sunday, March 23 at 3:00 pm

FEATURING
GREENVILLE SYMPHONY PERCUSSION
Daniel Kirkpatrick, Principal Timpani
Wesley Strasser, Acting Principal Percussion
Rick Blackwell
Omar Carmenates

Francisco Perez (b.1990) *Time Dilation*	...............	6’

Julie Davila (b. 1965) *Dimensions*	...............	3'
Drew Worden (b. 1988) *Escape*	...............	4’

Devonté Hynes (b. 1985) *Press*	...............	4'

Nick Zoulek (b. 1988) *Reminder: Grow, Reflect, Repeat*	...............	7'

Bob Becker (b. 1947) *Bye Bye Medley*	...............	7’

Paul Halley (b. 1952) \| Arr. Omar Carmenates *Appalachian Morning*	...............	5’

Guest Artist Biogrpahies

Furman Percussion Ensemble

Omar Carmenates

Director

Wesley Strasser

Acting Principal Percussion

Program Notes

Program Notes by Paul Hyde
Works for Percussion
Percussion instruments were humankind’s first musical instruments.

The beat of drums likely constituted the first music, with rhythm predating melody and harmony.

In today’s symphony orchestras, percussionists are often hidden in the back of the sea of instruments.

But when percussionists play, they usually make a big impact.

The thunder of timpani, the crash of cymbals and the ringing of bells add power, punch and color to any orchestral work.

In this program, Movers, Shakers, and Noise-Makers, percussionists will take center stage.

The all-percussion concerts feature six Greenville Symphony percussionists along with 13 percussionists from Furman University.

Emceed by the Greenville Symphony’s timpanist Daniel Kirkpatrick, the program is designed to appeal to the whole family, introducing young people to percussion instruments and offering opportunities for audience participation.

Works were chosen by Furman University Professor of Music Omar Carmenates and Greenville Symphony Acting Principal Percussionist Wesley Strasser.

Both tuned and untuned percussion will be featured in various combinations. Tuned percussion includes instruments such as marimba, vibraphone and timpani while untuned percussion includes cymbals, triangle and tambourine.

A piece called “Press” by Grammy nominee Devonte Hynes will spotlight three marimba players and a vibraphone player.

Drew Worden’s “Escape” is composed for six triangles. Julie Davila’s piece “Dimensions” will feature five tambourines.

At least one work will include the entire 13-member group playing on an array of percussion instruments.

Today, professional percussionists must be highly versatile, equipped to handle a wide variety of instruments.

Carmenates, for his part, occasionally performs with the Greenville Symphony’s percussion section, but also is a composer and audio engineer who occasionally plays drums with country and rock bands. That’s in addition to serving as the Charles E. Daniel Professor of Music at Furman University.

“I try to be ready for whatever may come my way,” he said.

Carmenates, who was born in New York City and grew up in Florida, got his start playing in a roving drum band at Disney World’s Animal Kingdom.

Paul Hyde, a longtime Upstate arts journalist, is an English instructor at Tri-County Technical College. He writes regularly for the Greenville Journal, the S.C. Daily Gazette, EarRelevant, ArtsATL, and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Readers may write to him at pah598@g.harvard.edu.