The Grammy-nominated Los Angeles Percussion Quartet is bringing its unique and innovative sound featuring a mix of old and new music from California\u2019s leading composers to Harvey Mudd College Thursday, March 5.<\/p>\n
The performance, which begins at 8 p.m. in the Wayne \u201973 and Julie Drinkward Recital Hall, promises to be a highlight of HMC\u2019s annual concert series. Performances are free and open to the public.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can guarantee there will be sounds you\u2019ve never heard before,\u201d said Bill Alves, associate professor of music at Harvey Mudd, who arranged for the quartet\u2019s appearance. \u201cIt\u2019s going to be an exhilarating and varied program.\u201d<\/p>\n
Alves, who has known two of the players for many years, calls the group \u201cone of the most renowned ensembles of its type.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFirst of all, they bring a huge variety of instruments and also genres and influences,\u201d Alves said. \u201cAs musicians, they are as comfortable playing classical opera as they are electronic dance music.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of Alves\u2019 compositions, \u201cGandrung,\u201d will be among those featured in the program. The quartet also will perform pieces by John Cage, Steve Reich and other older classical compositions.<\/p>\n
Quartet member Cory Hills said the group\u2019s sound is different for each piece it plays.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne piece may call for just marimbas, one may call for just drums, one for tuned bows and clay pots and miscellaneous metal objects from a scrap yard,\u201d Hills said.<\/p>\n
The quartet\u2019s first album, \u201cR\u016bpa-Khandha,\u201d won multiple nominations in the 55th Grammy Awards in 2013, including the prestigious category of Best Chamber Music\/Small Ensemble Performance. Two members, Nick Terry, a Chapman University assistant music professor, and Matt Cook, who leads the Ventura College percussion program, won a Grammy earlier this year for Best Classical Compendium as part of the Partch Ensemble.<\/p>\n
Individual members of the group are also committed to outreach and education. They offer workshops and master classes to young musicians in middle schools, high schools and universities.<\/p>\n
Hills created the Percussive Storytelling program that has introduced classical music and storytelling to more than 25,000 children in eight countries.<\/p>\n