Blog

  Last night – April 4, 2009 – was the time for us to celebrate Ray Dillard’s birthday at “The Host”, a Toronto Indian restaurant that has been a favourite of NEXUS for years.  It was quite a gathering of about 25 of Ray’s and Lorrie’s friends and family.  Joining the party all the way… Read more »

I admit it . . . I’m a bass drum.  I am a concert bass drum and I have a problem; I get no respect.  Everyone uses me . . . but that’s not the problem.  The problem is that I am sooo carelessly used.  I am used – without thought about how beautifully I… Read more »

From time to time I will be reminding our presenters that NEXUS has marketing materials available for your use, and that some financial aid is available to you from our sponsor Pearl/Adams if you wish to present a NEXUS educational event such as a clinic, workshop, or master-class.

I want to remind our Ontario presenters that the Ontario Arts Council is there as a huge help to NEXUS and YOU. The OAC’s Touring Office has helped NEXUS and our Ontario presenters with expenses many times over the years. With the Council’s touring aid NEXUS has been able to visit all parts of the… Read more »

NEXUS member Russell Hartenberger has also been a member of Minimalism and the Music of Steve Reich.

“Raga No. 1” for solo timpani was first published in 1978 by Wimbledon Music, and since then it has been performed by timpanists and percussionists all over the world.  It continues to be among the most selected of works in the repertoire for percussion recitals, juries, and competitions.  I have occasionally received inquiries about various… Read more »

NEXUS is performing on the evenings of Friday April 3rd in Orangeville Ontario (ticket information here) and  Sunday April 5th in downtown Toronto (tickets available here). Choose one, or go to both!  Each venue gives plenty of scope for making a day of it. The attractive town of Orangeville offers a spring drive in the… Read more »

Spring is sprung, and the pale green sprouts in my garden tell me it is time for fresh starts. One spring task I always enjoy is the updating of the NEXUS Concert Summary. It is a little booklet that outlines where NEXUS has been over its 38 year history. Let me share some of these… Read more »

  One of the wonders of the new digital age is the ability to have live interactive events that are shared by individuals and organizations scattered throughout the world.  I first experienced ‘Internet-2‘ two years ago during the Steve Reich 70th birthday year in which I actually had a brief long-distance conversation with Steve – I… Read more »

NEXUS member Garry Kvistad is into chimes. He is the founder and CEO of From me flows what you call Time by Toru Takemitsu. How did this come to be? Allow me to share with you the oft-repeated “landfill lawnchair tale”. In the early 1970s Garry was teaching at Northern Illinois University and while there… Read more »

This week, the American Bandmasters Association has been enjoying its annual convention in College Station, Texas. About a year and a half ago, NEXUS found itself in Tulsa as the featured guest at the Oklahoma Bandmasters convention. NEXUS performed and presented workshops. There are Bandmasters Associations across North America in both the United States and… Read more »

What could bring Zappa, Rubinstein, and a NEXUS premiere together in one blog post? Gordon Stout! Percussionists certainly know Gordon Stout, but some of our presenters may not. Gordon Stout is a percussionist, composer, and educator specializing in the marimba.

NEXUS has always been interested in creating their own instruments and using “found” instruments. At NEXUS concerts perhaps the most noticeable are Garry Kvistad’s sound sculptures. Today I stumbled on Oddmusic.com.  Along with the Sea Organ built in Croatia in 2005, and the Symphonic House that is one large musical instrument,  I made some fabulous… Read more »