Sounds of Trinidad and Brazil in Calypso Band/Percussion Ensemble Fall Concert


A new suite of Samba music gathered in Brazil will be among the musical works played by the HSU Percussion Ensemble in its upcoming performance with the Calypso Band on Saturday, December 1 at the Van Duzer Theatre.

Dr. Eugene Novotney, director of the Percussion Ensemble, made four separate trips to Brazil to collect this music, most recently last year. He was accompanied at various times by a total of two other faculty members, three alumni and 11 students. Four of the students, all current music majors (Jesse Franzen, John Evans, Bryan Osper and Melody Walk) and one faculty member (Howard Kaufman) will be among the performers of the Samba suite for this concert.

Novotney, the group’s founder and leader, transcribed the music they collected. “We will present it to the Humboldt audience in its classic form,” he said, “using all indigenous instruments from Brazil.”

The featured classical work of the Percussion Ensemble’s half of the program is Paschal Dances by award-winning composer David Gillingham. The piece is scored for piano and an ensemble of a dozen percussionists playing a variety of instruments. “The composition is haunting and beautiful,” Novotney said, “ and at other times, highly rhythmic and brutal.”

The second half of the show features the festive dance music of the Humboldt State Calypso Band, this time emphasizing Panorama compositions: the high-energy dance music of the Caribbean Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago.

“The Humboldt State Calypso Band prides itself in maintaining an accurate and authentic connection to the roots of the steel band movement and the innovative musicians of Trinidad, the island on which this unique percussion phenomenon was born,” Navotney said.

In addition to its regular performances at Humboldt State and throughout Northern California, the band’s tours have included stops in Eugene, Oregon and Seattle, Washington, as well as the California cities of San Francisco, Santa Cruz, San Jose, Santa Rosa, Sacramento, Stockton, Fresno, Oakland, Long Beach and Los Angeles.

The fall concert of the HSU Percussion Ensemble and Calypso Band is on Saturday, December 1 at 8 PM in the Van Duzer Theatre on the HSU campus in Arcata. Tickets are $7 general, $3 students and seniors, from HSU Ticket Office (826-3928) or at the door. First 50 HSU students free with ID.

Media: North Coast Journal, Arcata Eye.