African Ensemble
The music that the African Ensemble is performing is a small part of the diverse and rich musical heritage of Africa. The music is of the Ashanti people of the central region and the Ewe-speaking people from the coastal region of Ghana, West Africa and is characterized by its "hot" rhythmic content. The instruments contained in this ensemble are the Gankogui bells, Axaste, and many carved drums including the Kaganu, the Kidi, the Sogo, the Atsimevu, the Atumpan and the Donno.
Afro-Cuban Ensemble
This ensemble introduces students to the techniques and rhythms of Afro-Cuban folkloric and popular music. This music, born of African slaves transplanted to Cuba in the 17th and 18th centuries, is rich in West African history and culture. The rhumba family of folkloric styles includes yambu, rhumba Columbia and guaguanco and can be traced directly to the Yoruba people in Nigeria. These traditional styles, in addition to the popular cha-cha-cha, mambo, mozambique, cumbia and the meringue are performed by the ensemble.
Brazilian Ensemble
Escolas de Sambe, or "Samba Schools," are part of the tradition of the Brazilian Carnival street parades. Every year, these ensembles, which number in the thousands, are formed from various members of different communities and take to the streets during the Carnival celebration. One ensemble alone can have as many as 600 percussionists and up to 4,000 dancers. The style of Samba that these ensembles perform is called Batacuda. The Batacuda ensemble consists of a variety of percussion instruments such as the Caixa, the Pandiero, the Tambourim, the Frigidera, the Agogo Bells, the Reco-Reco, the Ganza and Chocalho, the Repinique and Surdos.
Classical Percussion Ensembles
There are three classical percussion ensembles at UNT. Two are comprised of undergraduate students and the third consists of graduate students with some upper-classmen. These ensembles perform regularly and are devoted to contemporary and classical percussion ensemble literature. The graduate ensemble has premiered new works and recently performed at PASIC 2000 in Dallas, Texas. The ensemble's future plans include a collaboration with the distinguished Van Cliburn Foundation, as well as a recording project.
Drumlines
UNT has two drumlines, the indoor and marching drum lines. The indoor drumline has won the PASIC College Marching Drumline Competition 12 times and has been recognized as a leader in indoor drumline performance. This unique ensemble combines the diverse styles of world percussion music with the traditions of the marching ensemble. From steel pan to Latin hand drums, look for a variety of sounds from this energetic ensemble. Their exciting presentations offer a wide variety of visual effects, drill and choreography. The second UNT drumline
performs with the UNT Green Brigade Marching Band.
Pop/Contemporary Ensemble
The heart of the Pop/Contemporary Ensemble are the keyboard percussion instruments supported by MIDI keyboard percussion instruments and rhythm section. The ensemble performs jazz and fusion selections arranged by faculty members and UNT students. Often the group has appeared on campus with guest artists such as Gregg Bissonette, Andy Narell and many others.
Guatemalan Marimba Ensemble
The marimba ensemble was first introduced to the United States in 1908 by touring "Marimba Bands" from Guatemala and Mexico. The unique sound of the marimbas along with the visual display of artistry made these ensembles very popular in the 1920s and 1930s. During this time, "Marimba Bands" and "Marimba Orchestras" made frequent appearances at state fairs, dance cubs, radio broadcasts and vaudeville shows. The number of players usually ranges from three to six; however, there are larger ensembles that use up to 100 players. Due to the newness of this ensemble, the amount of original literature written for this specific idiom is limited. Fortunately, many orchestral and piano transcriptions have provided an abundance of music that can be successfully performed by this diverse ensemble.
South Indian Cross-Cultural Ensemble
The Indian percussion ensemble developed in South India as early as the 4th century B.C. due to the availability of a wide variety of percussion instruments. These instruments include Mridangam, Ghatam, Kanjira and Morsing. Traditionally, the ensemble is improvisational in nature with a healthy spirit of competition among the performers. An "Avanaddha Kutapa," consisting of 24 drummers, is still performing during important rituals in the Temple of Tooth in Kandy, Ceylon. The ensemble performs compositions based on Karnatic music, a South Indian microtonal, modal art form which is built upon a highly developed theoretical foundation, with melody and rhythm as its two vectors.
Steel Bands
Steel drum bands, a trademark of the Caribbean, are rapidly growing in popularity in the United States. These bands originated in Trinidad where groups participating in Carnival activities played on paint cans and oil barrels, which have tuned areas beaten into their surfaces. The various sets of drums, which are constructed by hand from 55-gallon oil drums, comprise a family of soprano, alto, tenor and bass voices. Since their creation, steel drum construction has become a highly developed art form. Today, the "pan" is a legitimate, versatile instrument capable of expressing
delicate passages in classical music as well as in traditional upbeat calypso marches and popular dance music. In 1982, UNT became one of the first universities to start a steel band program. UNT students currently have the opportunity to perform in two steel bands.
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