Percussion Ensembles

Percussion Ensemble

Under the direction of Jamie Ryan, the Percussion Ensemble allows percussion students the opportunity to apply techniques, concepts, and methods learned in lessons to an ensemble setting. The Percussion Ensemble performs a variety of chamber works ranging from standard repertoire to the avant-garde. Literature is chosen for concerts based upon its educational value for the students, but also for its entertainment value for the students and audience. Several smaller groups derive from the ensemble core: the Marimba Orchestra, a group specializing in the performance of both original and transcribed concert literature for the instrument; the Ragtime Xylophone Group, which focuses on the highly virtuosic "novelty rags" popular in the U.S. during the 1920s; and the full Concert Percussion Ensemble. The ensemble performs several times each semester and tours regionally on a regular basis.

To book the Percussion Ensemble for a performance, contact Jamie Ryan at  (217) 581-7844 or jvryan@eiu.edu

Additional information