Sunday, December 14, 2008

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

The Thom Hasenpflug Project

Yes, it does indeed sound like a progressive rock band from the 1970s.

Thom Hasenpflug is quickly becoming one of the most well-respected composers of percussion and chamber music in America. His unique voice, an intellectual marriage of harmonic complexity and rhythmic voracity, presents a gratifying challenge to any performing percussionist.

I am extremely excited to have embarked on a recording project with Thom, to be released in the Fall of 2009. This recording will feature two of his more challenging (and seldom performed) works for marimba, Six Bagatelles and All Hallow's Eve, as well as his first vocal/percussion contribution, a duet for vibraphone and soprano entitled Cardinal Directions.

I may be the most excited about the multi-percussion solo Thom is writing for me, to be premiered in April and subsequently recorded. This will be his first multi-percussion solo, and if his existing catalogue of percussion ensemble works is any indication, it promises to be an instant-classic.

The back half of this project, a possible lecture-performance at PASIC 2009 in Indianapolis, has yet to be determined, but we should receive notification from the PAS Executive Committee in the coming months. If you'd like to learn more about Dr. Hasenpflug, check out his website, or visit his ISU faculty page.