WWU Percussion Goes to Spain
The Western Washington University Percussion Ensemble performed this summer at the 2024 Edeta Arts International Percussion Festival in Lliria, Spain, a UNESCO Creative City Of Music.
A once in a lifetime opportunity for students
Held in a small, vibrant town just north of Valencia, the international event gave festival-goers numerous opportunities to perform music for the public, while also exploring the many sights, sounds, and tastes of a beautiful and historic region of Spain. The festival culminated with the world premiere of Michael Udow’s "Impressions of Llíria," in which Western students and alumni played an essential role. It was an honor for the WWU Percussion Ensemble to be invited to participate in such an exciting and culturally enriching event.
The trip was funded in part by generous donations to a Viking Funder campaign.
Western's Percussion Ensemble
Western Washington University’s Percussion Ensemble is a uniquely collaborative, welcoming, and supportive group. As a non-audition ensemble, it isn’t solely made up of music majors. Musicians come from all over campus, and from different focuses within the music department to share a space for music making. The environment that is created from this inclusivity is one that focuses on community with a joint effort to make beautiful music.
"We push each other, rely on each other, and support each other with one common goal: to create something that we can all be proud of," says ensemble leader and Music Professor Patrick Roulet.
Michael Udow and Edeta Arts Percussion Festival: A Match of Artistic Excellence
Forty years later after countless performances, storied teaching, endless composition commissions, and awards such as the 2010 Percussive Arts Society (PAS) Lifetime Achievement in Education and 2022 PAS Hall of Fame, Michael Udow continues to do more as evidenced by his recent involvement with Edeta Arts.
Edeta Arts commissioned Udow to compose a series of works about his impressions of Llíria by highlighting the city’s history, culture, monuments, and commitment to music in daily life. The Edeta Arts Percussion Festival provided opportunities for the percussion ensembles and steel drum band to perform their own individual concerts in several venues around Valencia and Llíria from June 30 through July 6, 2024.
