FSU Student Brian Weyant to Present Senior Recital

2017 May 9

Frostburg State University student Brian Weyant will present his senior percussion recital on Sunday, May 21, at 7 p.m. in the Pealer Recital Hall of FSU's Performing Arts Center. The recital is free and open to the public.

Weyant will be accompanied by FSU's Jazz Combo - Greg Hays on guitar, Deandre Cook on trombone, Eric Foreman on saxophone, Grant Stryckning on bass guitar and Mirto Dorcil on piano.

The program consists of six compositions by 20th-century composers, beginning with the "Suite for Solo Snare Drum" by Siegfried Fink. Fink was the first composer to make use of 17 different sound shapes this instrument is capable of, and he put these in a highly satisfying musical environment. The next selection is Arthur Lipner's piece for solo vibraphone, "Crystal Mallet," which combines a simple melody with a trance-like mood to create a very musical work. The third piece, David Mancini's "Suite for Timpani," is a contemporary contest piece for solo timpani, featuring a variety of meters and styles.

After intermission, Weyant will be joined by the jazz combo for "So What," the first track on the 1959 album "Kind of Blue" by American trumpeter Miles Davis. The actor Dennis Hopper claimed that Davis named the song after one of their intellectual conversations, during which Hopper would reply "So what?" The next song, "Yesterday," written by Paul McCartney (credited to Lennon-McCartney), is a melancholy ballad about the breakup of a relationship. It remains popular today with more than 2,200 cover versions and is one of the most covered songs in the history of recorded music. The last song on the program, "Mr. P.C.," is a jazz classic composed by John Coltrane in tribute to bass player Paul Chambers who had accompanied Coltrane for years. It first appeared on the album "Giant Steps" where it was played with a fast swing feel.

Weyant studies percussion under Gary Phillips at FSU. He is a member of Phi Mu Alpha and the National Association for Music Educators and has been on the dean's list. Weyant anticipates graduating in May 2017 with a bachelor's in music - education certification option - and a minor in jazz studies. He plans to teach music. A graduate of Williamsport High School in Williamsport, Md., he is the son of Melissa Weyant of Hagerstown.

For more information, contact FSU's Department of Music at 301-687-4109 or visit www.frostburg.edu/concerts.