Western Washington University percussion professor, Dr. Patrick Roulet, will lead the Global Dimension Ensemble and the WWU Percussion Ensemble in a performance featuring marimba and xylophone traditions of Uganda, Ghana, Mexico, and the United States. The performance will include traditional music performed on authentic instruments as well as arrangements and adaptations performed on Western concert marimba, xylophone and vibraphone.
One of the highlights of the concert will be the embaire, a large 21-key xylophone from the Busoga region of Uganda played by six to eight players splitting parts on either side of the instrument. Western’s embaire is one of only five similar instruments in the United States.
Several other traditional instruments will be featured on the program including marimbas from Guatemala and Mexico and the gyil, the xylophone of the Dagara and Lobi Birifor peoples of Northern Ghana and Southern Burkina Faso.
Wednesday, June 3, 10:30am at Trinity Lutheran Church, and Thursday, June 4, 7:30pm at First Congregational Church. BMC concerts are free and family friendly. We suggest a $20 donation for the evening performance. All are welcome!