Bemidji State University’s Department of Music presents an exhibition of African and Japanese drumming and dancing techniques and a solo recital by Carlton College piano faculty member Matthew McCright.

Mason’s drum and dance concert will be held Oct. 6, while McCright’s recital will be Oct. 12.

Adam Mason – African and Japanese Drumming
Adam Mason, a world-renowned expert on drumming and dancing techniques from a variety of cultures, presents an Oct. 6 concert featuring music and dance from Africa and Japan.

Mason is the director of percussion at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada. He founded the school’s Global Drums Percussion Ensemble, which has toured throughout western Canada, in five states and in Japan. Global Drums includes the African Drum & Dance Ensemble; Steel Band; Taiko Ensemble; Brazilian Samba Batteria; Classical Percussion Ensemble; and Polynesian Ensemble.

He studied African drumming and dance at the University of Ghana in 1997, and holds a bachelors degree in music performance and master’s in music education from the University of West Virginia.

The concert will be held in the main theatre of Bemidji State’s Bangsberg Fine Arts Complex beginning at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and senior citizens and $5 for students. BSU students are admitted free with a valid ID.

Mason will hold five days of rehearsals leading up to the Oct. 6 concert. From Oct. 2-5, the rehearsals will be from 7-9 p.m. in the main theatre; the Oct. 6 rehearsal will be from 3-5 p.m. Anyone is welcome to join the rehearsals to learn drumming techniques; no experience is necessary.

Matthew McCright – guest artist, piano
Minneapolis resident Matthew McCright has performed extensively throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the South Pacific as a piano soloist and chamber musician. A member of the piano faculty at Carleton College, McCright maintains an active freelance schedule and is the founding pianist for “Ensemble 61,” a contemporary chamber music group based in the Twin Cities.

McCright has a bachelor’s degree in piano performance from Westminster College, a master’s degree from the University of Cincinnati and a doctorate in piano performance from the University of Minnesota.

His solo concert will feature works by Messiaen, Ades, Saariaho and Stucky.

The Oct. 12 recital will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Thompson Recital Hall of Bemidji State’s Bangsberg Fine Arts Complex. Admission is free.

For more information, contact the Bemidji State University Department of Music, (218) 755-2915.

ONLINE
• Bemidji State University Department of Music
• Global Drums
• Global Drums event page on Facebook
• Matthew McCright