University of Tennessee African Diaspora Percussion Ensemble
May 7, 2022
Program


University of Tennessee
African Diaspora Percussion Ensemble

Directed by Andrew Bliss
Abby Fisher, Assistant Director

Grant Gordon, Graduate Assistant
Ethan McDaniel, Graduate Assistant
Noah Williams, Graduate Assistant

Saturday, May 7, 2022 at 3:00 p.m.

Sandra G. Powell Recital Hall
Natalie L. Haslam Music Center

 

 

Summer Song Cliff Alexis
   
My Band Ray Holman
arr. Tom Miller
   
Osain Talking Drums
   
Until Morning Sings David Reeves

I.   Begin the Night

II.  Quiet Conversations

III.  Until Morning Sings the Night to Sleep

  
Gahu and Kinka Traditional

Traditional drum and dance pieces of the Anglo Ewes in the Volta region of Ghana, as taught by Nani Agbeli and the Dagbe Cultural Institute.

 

 

Performers

 

Ethan Booher – Knoxville, TN

Alex Dally – Knoxville, TN

Tyler Delaney – Kenosha, WI

Pate Dennis - Gainesboro, TN

Williem Fulton – Knoxville, TN

Chang Gao – Beijing, China

Grant Gordon – Harvest, AL

Nyx Hammond - Knoxville, TN

Ezra Hardwig - Knoxville, TN

Caleb Hupp – San Diego, CA

Julia Larocque – Powell, TN

Ethan McDaniel – Oak Ridge, TN

Tyler Stark - Wake Forest, NC

Noah Williams – Bessemer City, NC

 

 

University of Tennessee Percussion Ensemble

 

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.

 

 

Program Notes

According to Ewe Master Drummer Emmanuel Agbeli of Kopeyia, Ghana, Gahu is an adaptation of Kokosawa, an older African drum-and-dance style that originated with the yoruba people of Nigeria. In his telling, the Ewe took Kokosawa and increased the tempo to more than double its original value, resulting in the much livelier Gahu. Because Gahu is social music, it has no inherent religious or spiritual connotations, nor is it reserved for a specific time of year or specific people in the community. A traditional Gahu ensemble is comprised of six different instrument types, each with a distinct construction, sound, and rhythmic character. 

- Jeremy Cohen

 

Kinka is a popular Anlo-Ewe secular dance-drumming of recent origin (1950) and is characterized by themes reflective of the youthful inclinations for a more liberal lifestyle common among the younger generation in contemporary societies. Short repetitive metaphoric phrases are the norms of this communal entertainment. Recieved with a tremendous sense of humor and excitement by the younger generation, the dialogues of this idiom provoke anger, resentment and confusion among the older generation. 

- CK Ladzekpo

 


Graduate Students

Photo of Ethan McDaniel

Percussionist Ethan McDaniel currently serves as the Graduate Teaching Assistant for the University of Tennessee Pride of the Southland Marching Band and is an active performer and educator in the Knoxville area. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Percussion Performance from Tennessee Tech University and is currently working to get his Master’s Degree in Percussion Performance at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

As a performer, Ethan has been an active member of a large number of ensembles during his time at Tennessee Tech University and The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He has been a member of the TTU Golden Eagle Marching Band as center snare and the principal chair for the Wind Ensemble. He has also performed with the TTU Symphony Band, Concert Band, Jazz Band, and Bryan Symphony Orchestra. Ethan performed with the TTU Percussion Ensemble as they competed in the 2017 PASIC Ensemble Competition as well as performing at the 2018 and 2019 PAS Tennessee Days of Percussion. Ethan has also been an active member of the UT Percussion Ensemble, Wind Ensemble, and Orchestra serving as the principal percussionist for the Wind Ensemble. He has performed with Grammy Nominated Quartets including So Percussion, Kronos Quartet, and Sandbox Percussion. Ethan has performed works by well known composers such as Michael Burritt, Eric Sammut, Elliott Carter, Joe Tompkins, and Alejandro Viñao. He is an active marching percussion arranger and has arranged for the White County High School Marching Band, Macon County Indoor Drumline, and Pride of the Southland Marching Band.

As an educator, Ethan currently teaches at Oak Ridge High School and has previously taught at Farragut High School, White County High School and Middle School, and Macon County High School. He also has a number of private students that study with him ranging from 6th to 12th grade.

 

Photo of Noah WilliamsNoah Williams is a percussionist, drumset artist, and recording engineer based in Knoxville, TN.

As a performer, Noah has been an active member for a large number of ensembles during his time at Western Carolina University and The University of Tennessee at Knoxville. He has been a member of “The Pride of the Mountains” Marching Band at WCU, and the principal chair for the Wind Ensemble. He also performed with the WCU Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Jazz Band, and Jazz Combos. Noah has also been an active member of the UT Percussion Ensemble, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Combo, and Orchestra serving as the principal timpanist for the Symphony Orchestra. He has performed at professional conferences such as the 2019 Southeast Horn Workshop performing with Stephen Cohen and the Western Carolina Jazz Festival performing with Bob Sheppard and Ed Soph. Noah has also performed with Grammy Nominated Quartets including So Percussion and Kronos Quartet, and has performed in professional masterclass sessions for She-e Wu, Michael Burritt, Eric Vaughn, and Josh Jones.

Equally at home behind the drumset, Noah’s work is inspired by many artists from David Garibaldi to Philly Joe Jones. A self-proclaimed gear nerd, he never leaves home without his brand new 18” Gretsch Catalina Club Kit, that he recently purchased as a personal reward for becoming a first-generation college graduate. From 2019-2020, Noah enjoyed a steady gig playing with his jazz trio at the Balsam Falls Brewery in Sylva, NC, and currently gigs with Kevin Daniel and the Bottomline based out of Asheville, NC.  Noah serves as a worship leader at both the Cedar Bluff Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, TN, and the King’s City Church in Kings Mountain, NC, where he is either behind the mic leading worship or behind the drum set playing with his fellow colleagues and friends.

As a recording engineer, Noah works hand-in-hand with his collaborators through the entire recording process, to ensure they are provided a final product that represents their vision and artistry. His experience includes sound design, gain staging, live recording, and all post-production including editing, mixing, and mastering. As a student at Western Carolina University, Noah was named the Commercial Music and Audio Production “Student of the Year” for his committed work and consistent quality in sound engineering. He is equally comfortable running sound for a professional recital hall as he is micing up a worship band for a regional church.

Raised in a rural, Class A instrumental music program in North Carolina, Noah believes in providing inspired arts education opportunities for all students. At his former position at Bessemer City HS (his alma mater), Noah was the lead percussion instructor/arranger. Currently, he is the Assistant Percussion Director at Farragut High School in Farragut, TN, and Oak Ridge High School in Oak Ridge, TN, where he arranges and composes music for the percussion section, and oversees the maintenance of all percussion equipment.

He is currently serving as the Graduate Percussion Teaching Assistant at the University of Tennessee pursuing a Master’s degree in Percussion Performance. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Commercial Music and Audio Production from Western Carolina University. Noah’s percussion studies were mentored by several teachers who he admires including Andy Bliss, Keith Brown, Adam Groh, Mario Gaetano, Diana Loomer, Abby Fisher, Matt Henley, and Dillon Ingle.

 

Photo of Grant GordonGrant Gordon is a percussion performer, educator, and composer with a passion for collaborating with other musicians. He is particularly interested in Japanese keyboard music, contemporary chamber ensemble literature, and rudimental percussion. Grant graduated from Auburn University with a Bachelor’s in Percussion Performance under Dr. Douglas Rosener and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Percussion Performance at UTK under Dr. Andrew Bliss.

Grant has studied works from Louis Andriessen, Viet Cuong, Steve Reich, Eric Sammut, Baljinder Sekhon, Evan Williams, and Iannis Xenakis. He was recently (2022) able to perform movements from Amid the Noise by So Percussion with So Percussion and Kronos Quartet at the Big Ears Music Festival in Knoxville, TN. Grant participated in Auburn Percussion Day masterclasses from Josh Gottry, Dave Hall, and Ivan Trevino. In 2020, Grant was invited to attend the University of Alabama All-Star percussion ensemble where he was able to perform Ionization by Edgard Varese and White Pines by Michael Burritt. Grant founded a percussion performance quartet in 2018 at Auburn called Plainsman Percussion that performed works from Michael Burritt, Owen Clayton Condon, Aaron Locklear, Rudiger Pawassar, David Skidmore, and Ivan Trevino.

Grant teaches percussion techniques and indoor drumline at Seymour High School in Sevier County, TN. Grant has taught percussion band camps at Auburn High School, Seymour High School, and Sparkman High School. While in Auburn, Grant volunteered in a Community Music Project where he taught beginner lessons on trumpet, saxophone, and percussion to fifth and sixth grade students.

Outside of music, Grant is an animal lover, a Liverpool fan, and a gamer. When he is not practicing or rehearsing, he spends his time with his two dogs - Lily and Willow - watches Premier League football, or can be found at his gaming PC.

 

 

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.

University of Tennessee African Diaspora Percussion Ensemble
May 7, 2022
Program


University of Tennessee
African Diaspora Percussion Ensemble

Directed by Andrew Bliss
Abby Fisher, Assistant Director

Grant Gordon, Graduate Assistant
Ethan McDaniel, Graduate Assistant
Noah Williams, Graduate Assistant

Saturday, May 7, 2022 at 3:00 p.m.

Sandra G. Powell Recital Hall
Natalie L. Haslam Music Center

 

 

Summer Song Cliff Alexis
   
My Band Ray Holman
arr. Tom Miller
   
Osain Talking Drums
   
Until Morning Sings David Reeves

I.   Begin the Night

II.  Quiet Conversations

III.  Until Morning Sings the Night to Sleep

  
Gahu and Kinka Traditional

Traditional drum and dance pieces of the Anglo Ewes in the Volta region of Ghana, as taught by Nani Agbeli and the Dagbe Cultural Institute.

 

 

Performers

 

Ethan Booher – Knoxville, TN

Alex Dally – Knoxville, TN

Tyler Delaney – Kenosha, WI

Pate Dennis - Gainesboro, TN

Williem Fulton – Knoxville, TN

Chang Gao – Beijing, China

Grant Gordon – Harvest, AL

Nyx Hammond - Knoxville, TN

Ezra Hardwig - Knoxville, TN

Caleb Hupp – San Diego, CA

Julia Larocque – Powell, TN

Ethan McDaniel – Oak Ridge, TN

Tyler Stark - Wake Forest, NC

Noah Williams – Bessemer City, NC

 

 

University of Tennessee Percussion Ensemble

 

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.

 

 

Program Notes

According to Ewe Master Drummer Emmanuel Agbeli of Kopeyia, Ghana, Gahu is an adaptation of Kokosawa, an older African drum-and-dance style that originated with the yoruba people of Nigeria. In his telling, the Ewe took Kokosawa and increased the tempo to more than double its original value, resulting in the much livelier Gahu. Because Gahu is social music, it has no inherent religious or spiritual connotations, nor is it reserved for a specific time of year or specific people in the community. A traditional Gahu ensemble is comprised of six different instrument types, each with a distinct construction, sound, and rhythmic character. 

- Jeremy Cohen

 

Kinka is a popular Anlo-Ewe secular dance-drumming of recent origin (1950) and is characterized by themes reflective of the youthful inclinations for a more liberal lifestyle common among the younger generation in contemporary societies. Short repetitive metaphoric phrases are the norms of this communal entertainment. Recieved with a tremendous sense of humor and excitement by the younger generation, the dialogues of this idiom provoke anger, resentment and confusion among the older generation. 

- CK Ladzekpo

 


Graduate Students

Photo of Ethan McDaniel

Percussionist Ethan McDaniel currently serves as the Graduate Teaching Assistant for the University of Tennessee Pride of the Southland Marching Band and is an active performer and educator in the Knoxville area. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Percussion Performance from Tennessee Tech University and is currently working to get his Master’s Degree in Percussion Performance at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

As a performer, Ethan has been an active member of a large number of ensembles during his time at Tennessee Tech University and The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He has been a member of the TTU Golden Eagle Marching Band as center snare and the principal chair for the Wind Ensemble. He has also performed with the TTU Symphony Band, Concert Band, Jazz Band, and Bryan Symphony Orchestra. Ethan performed with the TTU Percussion Ensemble as they competed in the 2017 PASIC Ensemble Competition as well as performing at the 2018 and 2019 PAS Tennessee Days of Percussion. Ethan has also been an active member of the UT Percussion Ensemble, Wind Ensemble, and Orchestra serving as the principal percussionist for the Wind Ensemble. He has performed with Grammy Nominated Quartets including So Percussion, Kronos Quartet, and Sandbox Percussion. Ethan has performed works by well known composers such as Michael Burritt, Eric Sammut, Elliott Carter, Joe Tompkins, and Alejandro Viñao. He is an active marching percussion arranger and has arranged for the White County High School Marching Band, Macon County Indoor Drumline, and Pride of the Southland Marching Band.

As an educator, Ethan currently teaches at Oak Ridge High School and has previously taught at Farragut High School, White County High School and Middle School, and Macon County High School. He also has a number of private students that study with him ranging from 6th to 12th grade.

 

Photo of Noah WilliamsNoah Williams is a percussionist, drumset artist, and recording engineer based in Knoxville, TN.

As a performer, Noah has been an active member for a large number of ensembles during his time at Western Carolina University and The University of Tennessee at Knoxville. He has been a member of “The Pride of the Mountains” Marching Band at WCU, and the principal chair for the Wind Ensemble. He also performed with the WCU Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Jazz Band, and Jazz Combos. Noah has also been an active member of the UT Percussion Ensemble, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Combo, and Orchestra serving as the principal timpanist for the Symphony Orchestra. He has performed at professional conferences such as the 2019 Southeast Horn Workshop performing with Stephen Cohen and the Western Carolina Jazz Festival performing with Bob Sheppard and Ed Soph. Noah has also performed with Grammy Nominated Quartets including So Percussion and Kronos Quartet, and has performed in professional masterclass sessions for She-e Wu, Michael Burritt, Eric Vaughn, and Josh Jones.

Equally at home behind the drumset, Noah’s work is inspired by many artists from David Garibaldi to Philly Joe Jones. A self-proclaimed gear nerd, he never leaves home without his brand new 18” Gretsch Catalina Club Kit, that he recently purchased as a personal reward for becoming a first-generation college graduate. From 2019-2020, Noah enjoyed a steady gig playing with his jazz trio at the Balsam Falls Brewery in Sylva, NC, and currently gigs with Kevin Daniel and the Bottomline based out of Asheville, NC.  Noah serves as a worship leader at both the Cedar Bluff Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, TN, and the King’s City Church in Kings Mountain, NC, where he is either behind the mic leading worship or behind the drum set playing with his fellow colleagues and friends.

As a recording engineer, Noah works hand-in-hand with his collaborators through the entire recording process, to ensure they are provided a final product that represents their vision and artistry. His experience includes sound design, gain staging, live recording, and all post-production including editing, mixing, and mastering. As a student at Western Carolina University, Noah was named the Commercial Music and Audio Production “Student of the Year” for his committed work and consistent quality in sound engineering. He is equally comfortable running sound for a professional recital hall as he is micing up a worship band for a regional church.

Raised in a rural, Class A instrumental music program in North Carolina, Noah believes in providing inspired arts education opportunities for all students. At his former position at Bessemer City HS (his alma mater), Noah was the lead percussion instructor/arranger. Currently, he is the Assistant Percussion Director at Farragut High School in Farragut, TN, and Oak Ridge High School in Oak Ridge, TN, where he arranges and composes music for the percussion section, and oversees the maintenance of all percussion equipment.

He is currently serving as the Graduate Percussion Teaching Assistant at the University of Tennessee pursuing a Master’s degree in Percussion Performance. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Commercial Music and Audio Production from Western Carolina University. Noah’s percussion studies were mentored by several teachers who he admires including Andy Bliss, Keith Brown, Adam Groh, Mario Gaetano, Diana Loomer, Abby Fisher, Matt Henley, and Dillon Ingle.

 

Photo of Grant GordonGrant Gordon is a percussion performer, educator, and composer with a passion for collaborating with other musicians. He is particularly interested in Japanese keyboard music, contemporary chamber ensemble literature, and rudimental percussion. Grant graduated from Auburn University with a Bachelor’s in Percussion Performance under Dr. Douglas Rosener and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Percussion Performance at UTK under Dr. Andrew Bliss.

Grant has studied works from Louis Andriessen, Viet Cuong, Steve Reich, Eric Sammut, Baljinder Sekhon, Evan Williams, and Iannis Xenakis. He was recently (2022) able to perform movements from Amid the Noise by So Percussion with So Percussion and Kronos Quartet at the Big Ears Music Festival in Knoxville, TN. Grant participated in Auburn Percussion Day masterclasses from Josh Gottry, Dave Hall, and Ivan Trevino. In 2020, Grant was invited to attend the University of Alabama All-Star percussion ensemble where he was able to perform Ionization by Edgard Varese and White Pines by Michael Burritt. Grant founded a percussion performance quartet in 2018 at Auburn called Plainsman Percussion that performed works from Michael Burritt, Owen Clayton Condon, Aaron Locklear, Rudiger Pawassar, David Skidmore, and Ivan Trevino.

Grant teaches percussion techniques and indoor drumline at Seymour High School in Sevier County, TN. Grant has taught percussion band camps at Auburn High School, Seymour High School, and Sparkman High School. While in Auburn, Grant volunteered in a Community Music Project where he taught beginner lessons on trumpet, saxophone, and percussion to fifth and sixth grade students.

Outside of music, Grant is an animal lover, a Liverpool fan, and a gamer. When he is not practicing or rehearsing, he spends his time with his two dogs - Lily and Willow - watches Premier League football, or can be found at his gaming PC.

 

 

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.