UA Little Rock Music Ensembles Bring Three November Concerts to Campus
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock is bringing three exciting ensemble concerts to the Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall this month, featuring everything from international percussion and holiday favorites to classic jazz. Each performance will showcase the talent of UA Little Rock student musicians and offer audiences a chance to experience the variety of music happening on campus.
Kicking off the series is the Fall Percussion Concert at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 10, directed by Justin Bunting. The evening will highlight the many sides of percussion at UA Little Rock, beginning with performances by the Percussion Techniques class and the UA Little Rock Percussion Ensemble.
The Percussion Ensemble will perform traditional Mexican and Central American marimba music, recently featured at the Central Arkansas Library System (CALS) Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) Festival in downtown Little Rock. The ensemble will also perform “æther 6” by Michael Calamas, a piece six members will take to the Percussive Arts Society International Convention in Indianapolis – the world’s largest percussion convention – for a chamber ensemble competition.
The concert will also introduce the Global Rhythms Ensemble, formerly known as the Trojan Steel Band. The newly named ensemble will make its debut with three steel band selections, including “Jean & Dinah,” “Underneath the Mango Tree,” and “Shut Up and Dance,” alongside traditional West African drumming and Arabic frame drumming. The performance will bring together a range of musical traditions and percussion styles to close out the evening. See the event page for further details.
Just six days later, on Nov. 16, the Piano Ensemble and Chamber Ensemble Fall Concert will bring a holiday touch to the concert hall. Directed by Naoki Hakutani, the concert will feature 10 student musicians performing works by Edvard Grieg and Franz Gruber with the Piano Ensemble, along with selections by Dmitri Shostakovich and David Uber performed by the Brass Quartet and String Ensembles. For more information on the 7:30 p.m. concert, visit the event page.
Rounding out the November lineup is the Fall Jazz Ensemble Concert at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 19, directed by Michael Underwood. This year’s performance will celebrate the trumpet with a program featuring music by legendary jazz artists Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie, as well as selections associated with Clark Terry and the Ray Anthony Big Band. The ensemble will also perform “Hurricane Season” by New Orleans musician Trombone Shorty and feature student vocalist Cooper Sikes on the American classic “Route 66.” Explore the event page to learn more.
From festive favorites to fresh rhythms, UA Little Rock’s November concerts offer something for every music lover. All three performances are free and open to the public. Come enjoy live music and celebrate UA Little Rock’s student musicians.