Furman Percussion Ensemble in concert April 11

Photo by Lydia Bittner-Baird

The Furman University Percussion Ensemble will present its annual spring concert Saturday, April 11, at 8 p.m. in Daniel Recital Hall on the Furman campus.

The concert is open to the public. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students, and are available at the door.

The concert is directed by Furman faculty member Michael Truesdell, and features an eclectic mix of music by Alexandre Lunsqui, Toru Takemitsu, Jason Treuting, Steven Mackey, Mark Applebaum, John Cage and Steve Reich.

Interim Professor of Percussion at Furman, Truesdell is a freelance percussionist from New York City. His endeavors as a solo and chamber musician have taken him throughout the United States, Europe and Japan.

In October 2009, he received acclaim in The New York Times for his performance of Tan Dun’s Silk Road in New York’s Alice Tully Hall, saying “Michael Truesdell…played with sensitivity and dexterity.”

He is co-founder of Spectrum Trio, a percussion ensemble dedicated to creating new works for percussion trio, based on fusion of western contemporary classical and pop music with the music of the African diaspora.

An award-winning performer, Truesdell’s true passion lies in teaching. In 2007, he founded the Savanna Oaks Percussion Ensemble in Verona, Wis., and also maintains a private studio. In 2009, Truesdell created the Wildcat Percussion Camp, an annual week-long percussive opportunity for students entering grades 7-12.

Truesdell is co-founder of the nief-norf Summer Festival which was formed in 2011.

An adjunct at Rutgers University and Columbia University as well as Furman, Truesdell holds a bachelor’s in percussion performance from Lawrence University (Appleton , Wis.) where his study abroad took him to Conservatory van Amsterdam to hone his skills under Nick Woud (timpani, Concertgebouw Orchestra), and Victor Oskam.

Truesdell is a candidate for the selective Doctor of Musical Arts degree at The Juilliard School, studying under Gordon Gottlieb, Greg Zuber, and Markus Rhoten.

For more about Truesdell visit http://miketruesdell.com/.  For more information about the event, contact the Furman University Music Department at (864) 294-2086, or email the department at FurmanMusic@furman.edu.