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Lafayette’s popular “Sound Alternatives” series continues with a concert by Ethos Percussion Group and special guest violinist Diane Monroe 8 p.m. Friday, February 12 at the Williams Center for the Arts. Tickets are $12.00 and may be purchased by calling the box office at 610-330-5009.
Hailed by The New York Times for its “expert togetherness, sensitivity and zest,” Ethos is no stranger to Lehigh Valley audiences. Their exciting appearances at Musikfest and other venues have acquainted the region with their passion, versatility, and eclectic sense of inspired programming. With an uncommon range of repertory, the quartet of Joseph Gramley, Eric Phinney, Yousif Sheronick, and Michael Sgouros, builds concerts which blend drumming traditions of Asia, India, and Latin cultures with many original compositions by western composers.
For almost a decade, Ethos has toured extensively and performed or recorded with the American Symphony and the Manhattan Chamber Orchestra, as well as orchestras for Broadway productions of Phantom of the Opera, Miss Saigon, and Sunset Boulevard. Their Lafayette program combines world music arrangements with three landmark works by American musical pioneers John Cage and Lou Harrison from the Pacific Rim crucible of “East-meets-West” originality.
Violinist Diane Monroe, Lafayette’s Alan and Wendy Pesky artist-in-residence for 1998-99 joins Ethos in a rare performance of Lou Harrison’s masterpiece, Suite for Violin and American Gamelan Orchestra, a piece redolent of the timbres and ceremonies of Indonesia. Ethos enlarges this “cluster” of experimentation with John Cage’s Construction No.3, as well as the witty and intriguing Double Music, created jointly by Cage and Harrison through “chance” dialogues made immortal in this musical montage. After their performance at the Williams Center, Ethos and Monroe will present this marvelous program at Carnegie Hall the following evening.
Special guest Diane Monroe is a graduate of the Curtis Institute and a veteran of the concert stage, both as a classical musician and as a jazz artist. She is violinist with the String Trio of New York and the Uptown String Quartet. She has performed in several “fiddle fest” projects led by Isaac Stern and Arnold Steinhardt. As Lafayette’s Alan and Wendy Pesky artist-in-residence at Lafayette, she maintains an active schedule of educational and community service, speaking in classes, coaching student ensembles, and meeting with student groups about her career in music. She will give a free community presentation as part of Lafayette’s celebration of Black History Month at Easton’s First Presbyterian Church, 333 Spring Garden Street, at 4 p.m., Sunday, February 7.
The concert is made possible in part by grants from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
For more information, contact the Williams Center box office at 610-330-5009.