NEXUS enjoyed a wonderful night at LPR on Bleeker Street yesterday, and e-mails are coming in from some of those who were lucky enough to enjoy this International Night of Awesome(ness). Garry Kvistad created some instruments for last night’s performance, and that reminded me of his Baschet. Like all the NEXUS members, Garry has lots… Read more »
Click here to see what the New Yorker has to say about the upcoming International Night of Awesome(ness) June 18th, 7 p.m. at Le Poisson Rouge, 158 Bleeker Street – with NEXUS, So Percussion, Meehan/Perkins Duo, Mantra Percussion, Akros Percussion Collective, Tigue and Siren. What an incredible night it will be! NEXUS will be performing… Read more »
I’ve been reading ‘”Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman! (Adventures of a Curious Character)”. Physicist Richard Feynman (1918-1988) was a Nobel laureate, and he also happened to be a drummer, and one of the most entertaining characters I’ve ever “met” between the covers of a book! Our own Lorrie Dillard (who has created a great many… Read more »
NEXUS has gone through years of repertoire for solo percussion, ensemble percussion, band and orchestra with percussion, and percussion with chamber groups of all sizes. To this day, virtually every piece has presented problems to solve requiring the construction of instrument support stands or even of instruments themselves, not to mention special kinds of sticks… Read more »
Much of the time that I have spent as a percussionist, even dating back to high school days in the 1960s, has been devoted to problem solving – not “how do I play that?” but rather, “how do I make it easier to play that?” Addressing this problem has often required more than simply practicing… Read more »
I had a very intense spring season, with NEXUS performances in California, Arkansas, Georgia, Ohio and New York, as well as extended solo tours of my own in Ohio, Indiana and Arizona. Usually I am unable to compose while traveling, and also I find it difficult to work creatively on writing projects without having at… Read more »
The Story of George Washington’s Drummer Boy Mount Hope Cemetery in Rochester, New York is the burial place of Alexander Millener, who served in the Continental Army as a drummer boy attached to George Washington’s Life Guard. After the War he was a farmer living at Adam’s Basin [now, Ogden, NY]. He died at… Read more »
Now here’s a fitting cake for NEXUS, who celebrates their 41st Birthday today. (The cake is a creation of The Twisted Sifter. You can see more of their inspired bakegoods at www.TheTwistedSifter.com. This one is 3 layers of red velvet cake with cream cheese filling, covered in red and white fondant. The drum sticks are… Read more »
After hearing NEXUS perform at Percussion Rochester, Tim Wagner wrote to us with an interesting question. Tim is a film technician from the George Eastman House museum and archive in Rochester, NY and also a charter member of the Carousel Organ Association of America, a group dedicated to the preservation and enjoyment of these outdoor… Read more »
Click HERE to listen to a recording of NEXUS performing “Fluffy Ruffles” with a 1926 Wurlitzer Band Organ.
On May 5, 2012, as part of the new “Percussion Rochester” festival, NEXUS performed Ellen Taaffe Zwilich’s “Rituals for Five Percussionists and Orchestra” with the Eastman Philharmonia, conducted by Neil Varon. The Zwilich piece was premiered by NEXUS in 2005 and shortly thereafter recorded by NEXUS with the IRIS Orchestra under the direction of Michael… Read more »
NEXUS will be performing at (le) Poisson Rouge in NYC on June 18th, 158 Bleecker Street between Thompson and Sullivan. Tickets are $15. Doors open at 7 pm, the music begins at 8 pm.
NEXUS is home from a great performance of Zwilich’s Rituals at Percussion Rochester! Here is an excerpt from Rochester City Newspaper’s review by Ron Netsky: “One look at the Kodak Hall stage at Saturday’s Percussion Rochester finale told you all you needed to know about the balance of power. “With conductor Neil Varon at the… Read more »
This week I have been writing to presenters about NEXUS’ wind ensemble/chamber orchestra repertoire. On Saturday night NEXUS is performing with the Eastman Philharmonia conducted by Neil Varon, and it struck me that perhaps you don’t know about this area of NEXUS performances. A couple weeks ago I blogged about Zwilich’s “blockbuster piece”commissioned for NEXUS… Read more »
