The Westminster College Percussion Ensemble will present its Spring Concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 9, in Will W. Orr Auditorium.

Directed by P.J. Gatch III, the ensemble will perform a diverse program of contemporary and traditional percussion works. The concert will feature the world premiere of "Metonymy" by Stanley Leonard, former principal timpanist of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

Leonard has maintained an active career as a timpanist, composer and educator for more than 70 years. He performed with the Kansas City Philharmonic and Rochester Philharmonic before beginning a 38-year tenure—from 1956-1994—as principal timpanist of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. In 2010, he was inducted into the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame. Leonard has composed more than 200 works for percussion, as well as pieces for voice, choral ensembles, piano, violin and handbells.

Additional works on the program include:

“Cross Currents” by Lynn Glassock
“Music for Pieces of Wood” by Steve Reich
“Hieroglyphics” by Neil West
“The Downfall of Paris; The Camp Duty, Reveille, or Three Camps,” a set of traditional drumming pieces honoring the early history of the United States
“Escape a Nightmare” by Eric C.W. Peel

Student performers include 
•    Ryan Bramson, a senior music education major from Springdale, Pa., and a graduate of Baldwin High School.
•    Heidi Douglass, a senior psychology major from Pittsburgh, and a graduate of Baldwin High School.
•    Myles Henneghan, a senior majoring in accounting and music as a second major from Norwalk, Conn., and a graduate of the Center for Global Studies.
•    Leo Hoopes, a first-year music education and marketing and professional sales double major from Latrobe, Pa., and a graduate of Greater Latrobe High School.
•    Lauren McTiernan, a senior early childhood/special education major from Venus, Pa., and a graduate of Cranberry Area High School.
•    Brenton Rahman, a first-year music education major from Canonsburg, Pa., and a graduate of Canon-McMillan High School.
•    Ryan Shaw, a senior music education major from New Castle, Pa., and a graduate of Montour High School.
•    Gabriel Spinello, a junior majoring in chemistry and music as a second major from Pittsburgh and a graduate of the Keystone Oaks High School.
•    Autumn Stemmler, a senior music education major from Latrobe, Pa., and a graduate of Greater Latrobe High School.
•    Jacob Weber, a junior music education and music composition major from Monaca, Pa., and a graduate of Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School.
•    Shannon Witkouski, a senior music education and music performance major from Beaver, Pa., and a graduate of Beaver Area High School.

Gatch, a member of Westminster’s School of Music faculty, earned both his bachelor’s degree in music education and master’s degree in performance from Duquesne University. He has presented clinics and masterclasses nationwide and contributes articles on percussion education and performance to the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association Journal.

The concert is free and open to the public. For more information, please contact the School of Music at 724-946-7270.

More Stories