An evening of percussionist harmonies - created by mallets striking copper-shelled drumheads, brass cymbals and wooden keyboards - is sure to delight audiences on Tuesday, Nov. 15, at Lander University.
Performed by Matthew Bratton, of Clover, the program features timpani instruments in Eight Pieces for Four Timpani: Saeta and VIII, March by Elliot Carter; a snare drum piece, Tornado, by American composer Mitch Markovich; and several marimba selections, including Frogs by Keiko Abe, Footpath by composer Dave Samuels, and the spiritual Deep River. The program rounds out with a drum set performance of Brazilian bossa nova The Girl from Ipanema by Antonio Carlos Jobim, and the soulful sounds of Mercy, Mercy, Mercy by Joe Zawinul.
A senior at the university, Bratton is majoring in music instrumental performance with an emphasis in percussion. Bratton performs with Lander's Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble and Percussion Ensemble. He is a member of the Percussion Arts Society and the South Carolina Intercollegiate Honor Band, and he has performed in several Greenwood Community Theatre productions, including Willy Wonka, Shrek the Musical, Godspell and The Little Mermaid.
In addition to entertaining audiences with his own jazz group, Invictus Jazz, Bratton is on the airwaves as host for XLR-Radio's Jazz Jukebox Show and teaches percussion to students at local high schools. He plans to pursue a masters in music education after graduation. The recital begins at 8 p.m. in the Josephine B. Abney Auditorium. The performance is FALS-Approved for Lander students. It is free and open to the public.