MSU Perscussion Ensemble
Stephen Versaevel, Director
MUS 322-01 1 credit
MW 7:10-9:00pm

The MSU Percussion Ensemble consists of percussion majors and non-music majors alike, and is committed to surveying the standards and landmarks of 20th and 21st century percussion ensemble literature. Under the direction of Stephen Versaevel, the group will perform works by composers such as John Cage, Edgard Varese, Henry Cowell, Lou Harrison, Frank Zappa, and William Kraft among many others. On every program, special effort is made to include one new or not commonly performed work. The group utilizes the standard compliment of percussion instruments, though is often asked to make use of found or constructed materials such as car parts, flower pots, architectural objects, and household items. The mission of the ensemble is to expose students and audiences to traditional and cutting-edge percussion ensemble repertoire.

The MSU Percussion Ensemble enjoys traveling throughout Montana, and often performs at State and regional high school music festivals, conferences, and Percussive Arts Society events.

The percussion program at Montana State University-Bozeman is endowed with both wonderful practice facilities and percussion equipment. Howard Hall boasts Wenger sound-dampened practice modules which are exclusively dedicated to percussion use, as well as a large rehearsal room which houses additional percussion instruments used in ensemble rehearsals. All applied percussion lessons are delivered by Professor Versaevel in 133 Howard Hall.

Percussionists at MSU-Bozeman also enjoy world class guest percussion clinicians who regularly visit our campus. Some recent artists include: Gordon Gottlieb, NY Philharmonic, The Juilliard School , William Kraft, LA Philharmonic, Arnie Lang, NY Philharmonic, PAS Hall of Fame, Mike Mangini, Drum Set Artist, I Wayan Sumandhi, Gamelan Artist, Dr. Lynn Vartan, Ensemble Green, Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez, Drum Set Artist.

To learn more about MSU’s percussion program, please feel free to contact Stephen Versaevel at stephen.versaevel@montana.edu.

Gamelan Sekar Gunung
Indonesian percussion ensemble
Alan Leech, Director
MUS 428-01, 1 credit
MWF 3:10-4:00

The MSU world music ensemble called Gamelan Sekar Gunung [Mountain Flower Gamelan] is a percussion orchestra made up of over 20 instruments, including metalophones (xylophone-like), gongs, suling flutes, drums, cymbals, and angklung (bamboo shakers). These instruments are native to Bali, Indonesia, and in fact, this orchestra was built especially for Montana State by the master gamelan builder on the island, Pandé Madé Gableran. The orchestra is of the type called Gamelan Angklung, used originally in temple music. Prof. Leech studied the music and its instruments during a sabbatical trip to Bali in 1997, and later arranged for MSU to commission the instruments.

Performing in this ensemble are MSU students and faculty, public school faculty, along with interested community members. The musicians appear on stage attired in traditional Balinese costume. The concerts present music from both the old and new traditions in Bali. Along with traditional pieces, there are also 'Kreasi Baru', new creations that originated in the 20th Century in Bali using the flashy, virtuosic 'kebyar' style. There are often performances of newly composed works written specifically for Gamelan Sekar Gunung, sometimes incorporating instruments from "outside" the tradition, such as flute, saxophone, vibraphone, or Indian santur.

Rehearsals are three times each week, MWF 3:10 to 4:00 p.m. Prerequisite for enrollment for credit: Mus 105, or Mus 312, and/or consent of instructor. For further information on the group and performances, please contact: Alan Leech, Prof. of Music at aleech@montana.edu.