Ethan Booher – Knoxville, TN

Alex Dally – Knoxville, TN

Tyler Delaney – Kenosha, WI

Williem Fulton – Knoxville, TN

Chang Gao – Beijing, China

Grant Gordon – Harvest, AL

Caleb Hupp – San Diego, CA

Julia Larocque – Powell, TN

Ethan McDaniel – Oak Ridge, TN

Noah Williams – Bessemer City, NC

The University of Tennessee Percussion Ensemble, directed by Andrew Bliss, is devoted to performing, recording, and commissioning works for the contemporary percussion group. With this mission, the ensemble places an emphasis on collaboration with performers and composers alike. 

During the 2019-20 season the ensemble put together a completely improvised concert with guest artist Mike Gould while also recording Evan Chapman’s Honeybee, 1820, which they commissioned and premiered. In Spring 2018, UTPE collaborated with Michael Gordon and the Bang on a Can All-Stars on the US Premiere of his work Big Space at the Big Ears Festival, while working remotely with composer Alexander Lunsqui on his percussion quartet Yazz. Throughout the 2016-17 season, the group appeared at the Big Ears Festival performing alongside composer Michael Pisaro; collaborated with Jessica Aszodi on a performance of Györgi Ligeti’s Síppal, dobbal, nádihegedüvel for mezzo-soprano and four percussionists; performed Steve Reich’s Drumming at the Knoxville 225th Birthday Celebration in Knoxville’s Krutch Park; and presented a concert featuring the rarely heard music of Michael Maierhof and Simon Løffler at Knoxville’s Arts & Culture Alliance, in collaboration with percussionists Brian Archinal, Henrik Larsen, and Greg Stuart.

Earlier in 2016, the ensemble led a performance of John Luther Adams’ Inuksuit to close the 2016 Big Ears Festival at Knoxville’s Ijams Nature Center which received critical acclaim from multiple press outlets. UTPE has also appeared twice at the McCormick Marimba Festival in Tampa, FL where they gave the world premiere of David Crowell’s Music for Percussion Quartet, as well as Alejandro Viñao’s 3-movement trio Relative Riffs. Other memorable collaborations for the ensemble include working with Jennifer Higdon on her latest 12-player composition Like Clockwork; performing Gravity for Marc Mellits on campus; the commission and premiere of Evan Chapman’s night light(ning); and the world premiere of Matthew Burtner’s telematic opera Auksalaq in Indianapolis, IN with performers from around the globe.

UTPE performed the New Literature Showcase Concert at the 2015 Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) in San Antonio, TX, were featured performers at the 2017 PASIC Focus Day, and most recently won the 2018 PAS International Percussion Ensemble Competition leading to a PASIC Showcase Concert in Indianapolis, IN. The ensemble has had the pleasure of sharing the stage with some of the top percussionists in the field today, including Kendall Williams, Mike Mixtacki, Michael Burritt, Josh Quillen, Anders Åstrand, Andy Smith, Robert Chappell, Mike Gould, and Evaristo Aguilar.

The University of Tennessee Percussion Ensemble would like to thank Yamaha, Zildjian, Innovative Percussion, Evans Drumheads, Black Swamp Percussion, and Meinl Percussion for their continued support of Andrew Bliss and the University of Tennessee Percussion Studies program.

African Diaspora Percussion Ensemble
Saturday, May 7, 2022, 3:00 p.m.
Sandra G. Powell Recital Hall,
Natalie L. Haslam Music Center

We hope you enjoyed this performance. Private support from music enthusiasts enables us to improve educational opportunities and develop our student artists’ skills to their full potential. 

To learn more about how you can support the School of Music, contact Chris Cox, Director of Development, 865-974-2365 or ccox@utfi.org.