The performances are directed by Howard Kaufman and Eugene Novotney.
Join us Saturday, Dec. 7, at 7:30 p.m. at the Fulkerson Recital Hall. Concert tickets are $15 General, $5 Children, and $5 for Cal Poly Humboldt students with ID. Tickets may be purchased at the door or in advance at centerarts.humboldt.edu—select the All Events drop-down menu, then School of Dance, Music & Theatre, and select your event.
Director and Music Professor Eugene Novotney is enthusiastic about the evening's program. "We love playing music for the Humboldt community, and if you make the effort to come out to this concert, you will definitely not be disappointed," he said.
The Cal Poly Humboldt Percussion Ensemble begins the program by featuring three exciting works, one of which has never before been performed on the North Coast. The first piece, Alone or Together, composed by Novotney in 1997, is a drumming piece inspired by tap dancing and East Indian rhythms.
The second piece on the program, a Cal Poly Humboldt premier, Hidden Universe, is a marimba trio by composer Ben Cato. In Cato’s own words, “Hidden Universe was composed as a tribute to the curiosity of the unknown among the stars. Throughout the piece, the trio often acts as a duet with an accompaniment. However, this changes over time, much like our knowledge and understanding of space and all the wonders the universe has to offer. Simple melodies very quickly become more complicated as the performers embellish each other’s, alluding to the complexities of the universe intertwining in ways we are only just beginning to understand.”
The third and final featured work for the contemporary ensemble is Second Construction by John Cage. Second Construction was composed in 1940 and was the second of three related pieces. Scored for four percussionists, this work is notable for the use of a prepared piano. A piece of cardboard and a screw are inserted between the strings of the piano, which completely changes the timbre of the instrument. Many unorthodox percussion instruments are employed in Second Construction, including water gong, wind glass, temple gongs, and a thundersheet, along with more common percussion instruments like maracas, tom-toms, and the snare drum.
The World Percussion Group’s portion of the show will celebrate the 50-year anniversary of Ile Aiye, one of the most famous groups from Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. Ile Aiye was formed in 1974 and was the first Afro-Bloco carnival group in Salvador and was responsible for helping Black Afro-Brazilians reclaim their African heritage. Ile Aiye’s music is influenced by the Afro-Brazilian religion Candomble. The name Ile Aiye comes directly from the West African Yoruba culture and means “house of life.”
The second half of the program will feature the festive dance music of the Humboldt State Calypso Band. For almost 40 years, the Calypso Band has been performing and entertaining local audiences, proving to be one of Humboldt County’s favorite and most enduring musical ensembles. The Calypso Band will feature several high-energy compositions from the Caribbean in their set, including the modern Panorama classics—Music In We Blood by Len “Boogsie” Sharpe, The Hammer by David Rudder, and Coffee Street by Andy Narell—in addition to a brand new Afro-Cuban arrangement of Herbie Hancock's legendary tune, Watermelon Man. The Calypso Band will also feature multiple players performing improvised solos in many of the bands' compositions, showcasing the talent and the artistry of its membership. The Humboldt State Calypso Band prides itself in maintaining an accurate and authentic connection to the roots of the steel band movement and the innovative musicians of Trinidad & Tobago, the island nation on which this unique percussion phenomenon was born, and this performance will represent some of the best music that Trinidad & Tobago has produced.
Professor Novotney adds, “It will be sure to rock the house!”
Novotney urges you to not miss out on an incredible musical experience, "The energy of the Humboldt audience is what makes our concerts special. We feed off the emotion of our crowd, and that support gives us the focus and energy to play our very best. We cannot do it alone—we hope to see you there!"
For more information, contact the Cal Poly Humboldt School of Dance, Music & Theatre, (707) 826-3566, mus@humboldt.edu. Contact (707) 826-3928 to purchase tickets, or visit tickets.humboldt.edu/dance-music-and-theatre.