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Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras

Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras Percussion Ensemble participants.

A highlight of the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra's spring concert season, the Percussion Extravaganza was among the organization's canceled programs in 2020. But this year the show will go on, following several months of rehearsals in a room big enough for the large ensemble to socially distance: a Monona Terrace ballroom, which also served as a filming location. The resulting webcast premieres on Saturday; it's free, but registration is required.

press release: Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras (WYSO) Percussion Ensemble will present a virtual Percussion Extravaganza at 4:00 pm on Saturday, April 10, 2021. The concert is free and open to the public, advance registration is required.

For the last four months, the ensemble has been rehearsing in a ballroom at Monona Terrace in order to find an available space with enough room for 12 socially-distanced percussionists, the director (Vicki P. Jenks), guest artists, ten copper bowl timpani, four marimbas, xylophone, vibraphone, chimes, African djembes, Latin congas, and a Roland keyboard. 

The ballroom has worked out perfectly, not only for the rehearsals, but also as the "recording studio" for this year's virtual concert.

Last year's Percussion Extravaganza was just three weeks away when all of WYSO's spring concerts were cancelled by the pandemic. This time around, the ensemble will present a rich and varied program of percussion repertoire that references and weaves the story of the past year. The ensemble chose as their 2020-21 theme “To Those Who are Brave,” which is also the title of a resonant composition of percussion and spoken word composed by Phillip Mikula on the eve of September 11, 2001. The ensemble will showcase this composition in the April 10 EXTRAVAGANZA. The program also features “The Lost” and “The Chameleon” by Andrew Stout; “Through the Fire and Flames” by Dragon Force, arr. by Ben Wahland; “Clapping Music” by Steve Reich; “Winstone Suite” by Jaren Spears; and “Afro-Blue” by Mongo Santamaria.

More information can be found here  https://wysomusic.org/2021-virtual-percussion-extravaganza/

Video-recording was created by Dave Alcorn (Microtone Media) and Buzz Kemper and Audrey Martinovich (Audio for the Arts). Here is a teaser excerpt (under 2 minutes) showing the amazing energy and skill of these dedicated young percussionists.