Percussion Studio : Ensembles

William Paterson University percussion students participate in several different ensembles, including:

  • William Paterson University Percussion Ensemble. This group is open to percussion majors of any degree program. Repertoire includes classic works by John Cage, Edgard Varese, Charles Wuorinen, Lou Harrison, Steve Reich, and many other composers as well as hundreds of new commissions and contemporary works. This ensemble also explores improvisation and various combinations of world music and Western classical music.
  • New Jersey Percussion Ensemble. This is a professional ensemble directed by Peter Jarvis in residence at William Paterson University. Students who show exceptional talent and dedication frequently participate in NJPE concerts and recordings. Please see the NJPE web site for more information. (http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Parc/9441/)
  • William Paterson University New Music Ensemble. This group is open to percussion majors of any degree program, as well as other instrumentalists. The repertoire is vast and includes classic works from the past hundred years as well as brand-new compositions by living composers.
  • William Paterson University Wind Ensemble. All William Paterson percussion students participate in the wind ensemble during the course of their undergraduate studies. The wind ensemble explores repertoire composed specifically for this instrumental combination, as well as important transcriptions from the symphonic literature. Dr. Joel Craig Davis directs the wind ensemble.
  • William Paterson University Orchestra. Students are encouraged to audition for the orchestra, which performs several concerts per year, conducted by Sandra Dackow.