UW News

February 16, 2011

‘Meany Beat: UW Percussion Ensemble to perform Feb. 22

UW News

The UW Percussion Ensemble will perform a diverse program of music ranging from 20th century modernism to Gamelan-inspired compositions — and jazz, too — on Feb. 22.

The concert, titled Meany Beat, will be at 7:30 p.m. in Meany Hall, and all tickets are $10.

Program selections will include Tambuco for Six Percussionists by Carlos Chavez, The Morning Of The World (Homage To Bali) by William Maloof, and Jazz Variants for Percussion Ensemble by John Beck.

Tom Collier.

Tom Collier.

Tom Collier, assistant professor and director of percussion studies, will perform in memoriam Three Pieces for Solo Vibraphone by UW School Of Music Professor Emeritus James Beale, who died last year.

Collier is a veteran of more than 50 years in music and has performed and recorded with many important classical, jazz, and popular artists, as well as with his own jazz group. A UW alumnus, He has appeared in concert with many important jazz and popular artists, including Peggy Lee, Diane Schurr, Herb Ellis, Ernestine Anderson, Della Reese, Natalie Cole, Frank Zappa, Eddie Daniels, The Beach Boys and Mannheim Steamroller.

Although his primary focus in recent years has been jazz, Collier has continued to perform occasionally as a featured mallet soloist with the Seattle Symphony, Spokane Symphony, Bellevue Philharmonic, Northwest Chamber Orchestra, and the Denver Symphony.

Collier has made commercial and educational recordings with his own jazz group, and has recorded with many internationally known jazz and popular artists. His work also has appeared on many Hollywood film soundtracks under the direction of composers such as John Williams, Henry Mancini, Elmer Bernstein, Lalo Schifrin, Jerry Goldsmith, and Oliver Nelson.

He has recorded several educational albums and has presented more than 300 jazz concerts in public schools around Washington state.

For more information, call the UW Arts Ticket Office at 206-543-4880, or visit the School of Musics website.