Percussion
Study percussion at UIUC and you’ll be “sticking” to an array of beats, from drum set to Latin, from Steel Band (calypso, soca, jazz, folk, popular) to World (hand percussion techniques), from the interactive Engine Room to the more formal UIUC orchestras and bands. First in the world to give university credit when it was formed, the UIUC Percussion Ensemble has kept up with both classical and contemporary trends. Percussionists at UIUC set a lively pace in solo and ensemble repertoire, and have led the way in contemporary style, working with professional and student composers. William Moersch and marimba are synonymous, the virtuoso performer heard on CD, in symphony, and on movie sound tracks. Ricardo Flores, both an orchestra and Battu jazz ensemble member, is also a pop, Latin, and drum set enthusiast. With an energetic faculty, a large battery of students, and great facilities, your training here will immerse you in a true “community of percussionists.”