On June 4, 2009, Susan Powell appeared as a guest artist and clinician at the 30th Leigh Howard Stevens Summer Marimba Seminar.  The month long seminar annually attracts students from all over the world to work with renowned marimba specialist, Leigh Stevens, as well as multiple guest artists who cover a wide range of styles and backgrounds.

Powell presented a Q & A session and master class Thursday morning during which many subjects were addressed with the seminar students.  In addition to discussing mallet keyboard concepts, Powell talked about chamber playing, career paths in music, teaching responsibilities at the collegiate level, solo/chamber repertoire and multi-disciplinary collaborations including Drums Downtown.

Later that day, Powell presented a full evening concert that featured solo marimba works including the premiere of Powell’s new collection of two mallets solos, Mosaics (I, II & III), chamber pieces with the Pendulum Duo (Powell & Joseph Krygier), and novelty ragtime selections.  Joining Powell as the “back-up band” on the ragtime pieces were Chris Norton, Joe Krygier and seminar students, Nathan Tingler, Joseph Tucker, Adam Goldenberg, Jenny Lawless, Robert Giovanelli and Julia Ross.

Other seminar guests for this summer included: Gordon Stout, Michael Burritt, Christopher Norton, Thomas Burritt, Marta Klimasara and Leigh Stevens.

Program:

Solo Marimba

Etudes-Homages (1970-1977) by Ricardo Iznaola, trans. Powell

Mosaics (2009) by Susan Powell

Myotokuji by Mark Duggan

Pendulum Duo (Powell & Joseph Krygier)

Alegria by Bill Brennan

Twine (1995) by Rolf Wallin

Solo Xylophone

Nola (1915) by Felix Arndt, arr. William Cahn

Spanish Waltz (1927) by G.H. Green, arr. Bob Becker

Charleston Capers (1926) by G.H. Green, arr. Bob Becker