Black Swamp News and Events

So Percussion: It is Time

So Percussion released their latest cd It is Time last fall, accompanied by a full length performance DVD.
The CD features a single work composed by Steve Mackey, commissioned specifically for the members
of SO Percussion.

"It Is Time marshals the virtuosity of the individual members of So Percussion to speed, slow, warp, celebrate and mourn our perceptions of time. Each
of the four sections of the piece is a mini-concerto
for one of the players." - Steve Mackey

For more information, including track list, additional liner notes and purchase details, click HERE.

Welcome to our news page featuring the latest product updates, Artist Endorser hubub, educational articles and more!

Morris Palter & TorQ Percussion: Open Ears Festival

Morris Palter and the TorQ Percussion Quartet participate in the Open Ears festival May 12th, performing Inuksuit by John Luther Adams.

Performed within the pristine forest of Cambridge's rare Charitable Reserve, Alaskan composer John Luther Adams' Inuksuit is a sonic installation of natural and percussion sounds through which the audience moves freely. It features a large group of percussionists playing with, and to, their surrounding environment and brings attention to a treasured natural space in Waterloo Region. - Open Ears website

Click HERE to visit the Open Ears website for additional information.

Eric Willie: Three Premiers

Eric Willie organized three world premiers performed by the Tennessee Tech University percussion ensemble on April 15th, 2012. The ensemble performed "Parallel Isometry" by Christopher Dean, "Patterns" by Paul Lansky and "Moonrise" by Blake Tyson. Videos of each premier are posted on our newspage, linked below. Lansky's piece also features several individual Black Swamp temple blocks incorporated into the piece.

Paul Lansky: Patterns Blake Tyson: Moonrise

Christopher Deane: Parallel Isometry

Coalescence: Red Tree, Yellow Sky

The Coalescence Duo (Judy Moonert and Greg Secor) recently recorded Red Tree, Yellow Sky by composer Bill Ryan. The piece, inspired by Georgia O'Keeffe's painting of the same name, is written for marimba, vibes and orchestra bells.

Alison Shaw: The Timpanist's Ear

For our latest Educational article, Alison Shaw contributes material from her PASIC 2011 clinic on ear training. Concepts include pitch recognition, vocalization and tuning timpani to harmony accompaniment.

The Timpanist's Ear

So Percussion: It is Time

So Percussion released their latest cd It is Time last fall, accompanied by a full length performance DVD.
The CD features a single work composed by Steve Mackey, commissioned specifically for the members
of SO Percussion.

"It Is Time marshals the virtuosity of the individual members of So Percussion to speed, slow, warp, celebrate and mourn our perceptions of time. Each
of the four sections of the piece is a mini-concerto
for one of the players." - Steve Mackey

For more information, including track list, additional liner notes and purchase details, click HERE.

Esclats: 10th Anniversary Performance

Esclats celebrates their 10th anniversary with a special performance at the IPEW Festival - INTERNATIONAL PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE WEEK in Bjelovar, Croatia.

Visit www.ipewfestival.com for more information.

Enjoy a promotional video produced by Esclats for their milestone!

A note from Esclats:
5,258,880 minutes, 87,648 hours, 3,652 days: TEN YEARS. This is how long Juan Ponsoda, Antonio Sola, Enrique Gonzalez and Juan Francisco Carrillo have been making music together, initially as the OSA Percussion Quartet and subsequently as ESCLATS. It could seem like a long time, but hours, days and years pass quickly, one after the other, almost without us being aware of it. However, it comforts us to look back and see that the time has not passed fruitlessly; the amount of work that has been done is enormous, the experiences that we have had are both numerous and intense, and the awards that we have reaped are abundant and rich.

TorQ Percussion Quartet: two + two

TorQ Percussion Quartet recently released their latest cd featuring new music by Jason Stanford (Canada), Nebojsa Zivkovic (Germany), Christos Hatzis (Canada) and John Cage's venerable "Third Construction".

TorQ is celebrating the launch with a show at Toronto's Lula Lounge on December 4. The concert will feature two tracks from the album as well as improvisations and recent, TorQ-commissioned Canadian works.

Click HERE to visit TorQ's website to preview sound samples from their new album, read liner notes and more.

"two + two" is an important recording. The performances project a unanimity of purpose and spirit while demonstrating an artistry that puts TorQ squarely on par with the best percussion ensembles in the world. [...] Sonically, I believe this to be a landmark recording. [...] The entire effort is a tour de force. TorQ and (producer) Ray Dillard have serendipitously teamed up to create a "must have" percussion ensemble recording."

- Robin Engelman, founding member of NEXUS percussion ensemble


		Morris Palter & TorQ Percussion: Open Ears Festival

		Morris Palter and the TorQ Percussion Quartet participate in the Open Ears festival May 12th, performing Inuksuit by John Luther Adams. Performed within the pristine forest of Cambridge's rare Charitable Reserve, Alaskan composer John Luther Adams' Inuksuit is a sonic installation of natural and percussion sounds through which the audience moves freely. It features a large group of percussionists playing with, and to, their surrounding environment and brings attention to a treasured natural space in Waterloo Region. - Open Ears website Click HERE to visit the Open Ears website for additional information.


	Eric Willie: Three Premiers
	Eric Willie organized three world premiers performed by the Tennessee Tech University percussion ensemble on April 15th, 2012. The ensemble performed "Parallel Isometry" by Christopher Dean, "Patterns" by Paul Lansky and "Moonrise" by Blake Tyson. Videos of each premier are posted on our newspage, linked below. Lansky's piece also features several individual Black Swamp temple blocks incorporated into the piece.
	Paul Lansky: Patterns			Blake Tyson: Moonrise

	Christopher Deane: Parallel Isometry


	Coalescence: Red Tree, Yellow Sky
		The Coalescence Duo (Judy Moonert and Greg Secor) recently recorded Red Tree, Yellow Sky by composer Bill Ryan. The piece, inspired by Georgia O'Keeffe's painting of the same name, is written for marimba, vibes and orchestra bells.


	Alison Shaw: The Timpanist's Ear
		For our latest Educational article, Alison Shaw contributes material from her PASIC 2011 clinic on ear training. Concepts include pitch recognition, vocalization and tuning timpani to harmony accompaniment. The Timpanist's Ear


	Esclats: 10th Anniversary Performance
		Esclats celebrates their 10th anniversary with a special performance at the IPEW Festival - INTERNATIONAL PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE WEEK in Bjelovar, Croatia. Visit www.ipewfestival.com for more information. Enjoy a promotional video produced by Esclats for their milestone!

	A note from Esclats: 5,258,880 minutes, 87,648 hours, 3,652 days: TEN YEARS. This is how long Juan Ponsoda, Antonio Sola, Enrique Gonzalez and Juan Francisco Carrillo have been making music together, initially as the OSA Percussion Quartet and subsequently as ESCLATS. It could seem like a long time, but hours, days and years pass quickly, one after the other, almost without us being aware of it. However, it comforts us to look back and see that the time has not passed fruitlessly; the amount of work that has been done is enormous, the experiences that we have had are both numerous and intense, and the awards that we have reaped are abundant and rich.


	TorQ Percussion Quartet: two + two
		TorQ Percussion Quartet recently released their latest cd featuring new music by Jason Stanford (Canada), Nebojsa Zivkovic (Germany), Christos Hatzis (Canada) and John Cage's venerable "Third Construction". TorQ is celebrating the launch with a show at Toronto's Lula Lounge on December 4. The concert will feature two tracks from the album as well as improvisations and recent, TorQ-commissioned Canadian works.

		Click HERE to visit TorQ's website to preview sound samples from their new album, read liner notes and more.
	"two + two" is an important recording. The performances project a unanimity of purpose and spirit while demonstrating an artistry that puts TorQ squarely on par with the best percussion ensembles in the world. [...] Sonically, I believe this to be a landmark recording. [...] The entire effort is a tour de force. TorQ and (producer) Ray Dillard have serendipitously teamed up to create a "must have" percussion ensemble recording."
		- Robin Engelman, founding member of NEXUS percussion ensemble