How many of you have never been to a percussion recital?” asked Aaron Trumbore, assistant director of bands at Shippensburg University, taking a bow after his first piece. The majority of the people in the room raised their hands.
“Thank you for coming,” Trumbore answered. The faculty percussion recital last Friday in Old Main Chapel welcomed newcomers and returning listeners alike.
The concert featured percussionist, educator, composer and percussion small business owner Aaron Trumbore on marimba; and his brother, pianist and music educator Seth Trumbore on piano. The final song, “Cloud Forest” by Blake Tyson featured four members of the SU Wind Ensemble percussion section: Travis Houtz, general percussion; Matthew Zemba, glockenspiel; Noah Shandor, djembe; and Carrie Brough, vibraphone.
Aaron Trumbore introduced an original solo composition, which originally premiered in summer of 2018, called “PLVS VLTRA” or “more beyond.” He said it was a musical meditation that there is more beyond life on Earth. The concert also featured “Danzas argentinas Op. 2. No. 1 Danza del Viejo Boyero (Dance of the Old Herdsman)” by Alberto Ginastera that Aaron arranged for drum and piano.
“I thought it was wonderful,” said SU sophomore Maggie Myers. “His musicianship was impeccable.”
The concert featured a variety of pieces. One was a piece centered around the morse code beat for “Can you hear me?” by Wally Gun. The piece featured both brothers.
The concert was also unusual in that it did not have an intermission. “We decided not to have an intermission because I think the music flows better without that 10-minute break,” Trumbore said.
Additional pieces included “Libertango” by Astor Piazzolla, “Not far from here” by Blake Tyson, and “Morning Clouds” by Jens Schliecker and Nils Rohwer. “Morning clouds” featured two extended solos for both marimba and piano. “Danza ritual del fuego” or “Ritual Fire Dance” by Manuel de Falla replaced “Tap Oratory” in the program due to a technical error.
“It’s really cool to see Aaron perform, especially to see him perform his own work,” junior Zsofia Kandrot said.
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