 The Summer Institute is about to start! Watch out Princeton, here we come... Check out the Concerts page to find out how to see us in action! Taking place from July 19th to August 2nd, the So Percussion Summer Institute (SoSI) is an intensive two-week chamber music seminar for college-age percussionists. The four members of So Percussion serve as faculty in rehearsal, performance, and discussion of contemporary music for percussion. Browse through the site to learn more about the Institute, applications, etc. This year, the program will again include the participation of many composers, especially those from the Princeton music department, and will focus in-depth on the compositional process and the relationship between performers and composers. This year, the Institute will also accept applications from pre-formed multi-instrumental ensembles that include percussion. There will be multiple performance opportunities for students at the Institute: formal concerts, opportunities to perform with members of So Percussion, and various community outreach activities including concerts in coffee shops, libraries, and outdoor settings. Students will be challenged to perform at the highest level, experiencing the life of a member of So Percussion for two weeks.In addition, this year will include several excursions to see concerts of important twentieth century works. Among these are a trip to Lincoln Center to see performances of the complete works of Edgard Varese by the New York Philharmonic and So performing with The International Contemporary Ensemble under the direction of Steve Schick, and a complete performance of Steve Reich's masterwork "Drumming" with the ensemble Nexus and Reich himself. The first annual So Percussion Summer Institute was a great success! The four members of So and 23 students from around the country took over the campus of Princeton University for two weeks, performing six concerts and participating in classes and coachings with composers Steve Mackey, Paul Lansky, Dan Trueman, Barbara White, Dennis DeSantis, Oscar Bettison, Suzanne Farrin, and Mark Dancigers plus Martin Schmidt from the electronic duo Matmos and director/actor/playwright Rinde Eckert. |
The Institute's MissionThe emergence of the percussion group as a standard ensemble has been one of the most exciting developments in contemporary western music. So Percussion was formed to expand this important voice in the 21st century, taking a cue from groups in North America and Europe, as well as the pioneering composers who inspired them. Since its inception in 1999, education has become an increasingly important part of So’s mission. Its members share a firm belief that inherent in an artist's career is a responsibility to pass on practical advice and mentorship to young artists. The So Percussion Summer Institute seeks to fulfill this promise by providing a unique educational opportunity to percussionists at one of the most critical stages of their development. The program offers a hands-on experience that brings the practical and theoretical together:
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