On March 8, the University of Arkansas Department of Music, Community Music School, and the U of A Collegiate Chapter of the Percussive Arts Society are proud to present A Day of Percussion; an event dedicated to percussion instruments, musicians, history, and composers.  This year's theme, "Marimba in the Americas," will bring lecturers and performers to Fayetteville from across the U.S., Colombia and Mexico.

The guest lecturers include Marimba Sol de Chiapas, a Kansas City group started by Laurence Kaptain in 1988. Committed to the authentic performance practice and spirit of the marimba heard throughout Mesoamerica, they maintain an active schedule of performances, recordings, and multi-cultural workshops. The ensemble has toured Mexico as guests of the Mexican Government and they enjoy enriching as well as entertaining their audiences in a variety of local, national, and international venues and formats, bringing the music of the Mexican marimba to thousands of listeners.

Héctor Javier Tascón has focused his work on the study of percussion and on the traditional music of the South Pacific region of Colombia. The marimbas, currulao rhythm, traditional Colombian legends, and Afro-Colombian dances are at the center of his interests as an artist and researcher.

Wilson Tovar is the professor of percussion at the Conservatorio Adolfo Mejia, where he leads research projects and curricular reforms in the percussion area. He's served as a principal timpanist and section leader with the Orquesta Sinfónica de Bolívar and has collaborated with the Orquesta Filarmonia de Madrid.

PerCombia Trio is comprised of Hector Tascón, Wilson Tovar, and University of Arkansas instructor of percussion, Fernando Valencia. Their current project includes the elaboration of CIMCAM's "Perspectivas Sonoras" the expansion of the Colombian music repertoire for percussion trio, compositions for trio and string orchestra, and implementations of clinics and workshops.

The event will close with a performance by the University of Arkansas Percussion Ensemble with professors Chal Ragsdale, Fernando Valencia, and Chris Scherer.

Registration for the event starts at 9:15 a.m. in the Faulkner Performing Arts Center.  A program for the event can be found on the Department of Music's website.