Percussion Ensembles
Explore the ensembles we offer below! Ensembles are open to students of all interests and backgrounds and meet at arranged times. For more information about joining our ensembles, please contact matt.andreini@uni.edu
Percussion Ensembles
Japanese Taiko Ensemble
The UNI Taiko Ensemble - "Kaji-Daiko" - made its debut on September 26, 2008, at the School of Music Russell re-dedication and the Scholarship Benefit Concert in the newly renovated Bengtson Auditorium.
The ensemble is open taught in the aural tradtions and is open to students of all degrees. Students play on 13 handmade, authentic taiko drums. Each semester the ensemble presents a concluding concerts in Davis Hall, and has performed for WCFSO Lollipop Concerts, Iowa Percussive Arts Society Days of Percussion and was invited to perform at the Keynote Address for the Iowa Music Educators Association annual conference in 2022.
Percussion Ensembles
The percussion ensembles offer percussionists the opportunity to explore percussion instruments and their techniques as well as a variety of literature from modern and historic eras. Recent performances have included tours in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota as well as performances at the IBA and IMEA conventions and the Iowa Percussive Arts Society Days of Percussion. The ensemble has recently commissioned and premiered works by composers such as Michael Burritt and Gene Koshinski.
Recent Repertoire:
Threads - Paul Lansky
Millenium Bug - Giovanni Sollima
Wild Sounds - Glen Kotche
Omphalo Centric Lecture - Nigel Westlake
Bulldog - Andrea Venet
Shared Space - Ivan Trevino
Triple Point- Ayanna Woods
Escape - Drew Worden
Close to the Bone - Tina Davidson
Matters/Mind - Alexis C. Lamb
Credo In US - John Cage
Swarm - Kevin Bobo (Commissioned by UNI Percussion)
Boom-e-RANG - Gene Koshinski (commissioned by UNI Percussion)
Shell - Emma O’Halloran
A Man with a Gun Lives Here - Steven Snowden
Death Wish - Gemma Peacocke
Ritual Music - David Skidmore
Gravity - Marc Mellits
Please contact matt.andreini@uni.edu to audition for Percussion Ensembles.
West African Drum Ensemble
The UNI West African Drum Ensemble (UNI-WADE) was formed in the fall of 1997. The curriculum includes drumming, dancing and singing from Ghana and Guinea, West Africa. The course is open to any and all UNI students who are interested in learning and performing the music of other cultures.
The current repertoire is based on the music of the Malinke people from Guinea using djembes, dunnuns, bells and rattles as well as the Ewe people from Kopeyia, Ghana. The Ewe ensemble consists of drums made in Ghana - sogo, kidi, kaganu, klobotodzi, totodzi, donno, gankogui, axatse and frikyiwa - as well as the master drums - gboba and atsimevu.