Acknowledgments

To my parents: Thank you so much for the love and support that you have given me

Brian Ekstrom,
throughout my life, and for dealing with my imperfections. I am so grateful to be your son!

To all my friends and family: Thank you for being there for me, and for shedding light into
my life every day. You know who you are!

To Izabella Smith: It makes me so happy to know that you are a part of my life, and I am
so thrilled to spend even more time with you as the years come. Thank you so much for
percussion
your unconditional love, support, and understanding. I would not be where I am today
without your guidance and care. I love you!

To Ms. Garvin: You have made the last few years of my band experience not only fun but
Senior Recital
memorable! Thank you for your efforts in taking Henley High School to places we had with Jared Rountree, percussion
never been before. I will miss making music with my friends under your direction.
Zachary Cheyne-Russell, alto saxophone
To Mr. Benjamin: Thank you thank you thank you for permitting use of the choir room and
equipment for the recital! None of this would be possible without you. I’m gonna miss
you, B!

To Mr. Lee: Henley would not be the same without you! Thank you for your guidance
throughout the years, and for allowing me to hold the recital tonight.

To Mr. Bridges: You have made such an impact on my life and countless others who have
had the privilege to play under your direction. Thank you for constantly inspiring me and
for teaching me the skills to be successful in both music and life.

To Alan Keown: I have never learned so much than I have in the weeks I spent at Drum
Camp. Thank you for broadening my sense of timing, rhythm, and for showing me the big
picture in marching percussion. June 5, 2020
Friday at 6:00 P.M.
To Todd Britton: Your teachings in drum set, guitar, and music theory were integral in my
development as a musician. Thank you! Hampton Center for the Performing Arts
Henley High School
To my accompanists Jared and Zach: Thanks for agreeing to perform with me. Zach, keep
up the good work and have a great senior year. And to Jeb, Chatachichi.

And to everyone in attendance, in person or online, thank you so much for your time and
for supporting my efforts in music.
Program
 Brian Ekstrom, percussion
Senior Recital Biography
Brian Ekstrom
Constructive Interference (2014) Alan Keown
Movements I & II (b. 1957)

Song Book for Alto Saxophone and Marimba (1998) David Maslanka
I. Song for Davy (1943-2017)
III. Hymn Tune with Four Variations
Zachary Cheyne-Russell, alto saxophone

Blackbird (1968) Lennon–McCartney

(1940- Brian Ekstrom is a senior at Henley High School. From the young age of 7, he developed
1980)–(b. 1942) quick interest in music. His first true love of music arose from his humble beginnings
arr. Ed Smith playing drum set along to famous rock groups such as the Beatles and Radiohead. During
his time in elementary and middle school, he developed fascination with the arts of
Gitano (1985) Alice Gomez percussion. Brian has enjoyed many years of playing with the musical ensembles at
Movements I & II (b. 1960) Henley, eventually serving as section leader and drum captain of his percussion sections.
During his four-year attendance at Henley High School, he has been recognized as a
performer on regional, state, and national levels. Brian will be attending Southern Oregon
- Intermission – University this fall with a focus in music
Zachary Cheyne-Russell
Catching Shadows (2013) Ivan
Trevino
(b. 1983)
Jared Rountree, marimba

Pulsar (2017) Francisco Perez

(b. 1990) performance.

Jared Rountree Zachary Cheyne-Russell is actively

Crossed Wires (2013) Ivan Trevino
involved in the extra-curricular
I. Legerdemain
activities at Henley High School. An
II. This Too Shall Pass
avid photographer, he holds the position
III. Karma Loop
as editor-in-chief of the yearbook
department. He regularly performs with
Wildlings (2014) Ivan Trevino
the Henley High School wind ensemble
Jared Rountree is currently studying and jazz band, and has performed with
Jared Rountree, percussion
music performance at Southern Oregon the 2018 All-State Symphonic Band.
University. He regularly performs with
the SOU percussion ensemble and is in
the process of composing works for
percussion. He has worked and
Crossed Wires, Ivan Trevino
Crossed Wires (2013) for percussion soloist and electronics was inspired by the mental and Program Notes
physical juggling acts that 21st century percussionists must endure on a regular basis.
Constructive Interference, Alan Keown
Legerdemain is a direct derivative of the French ‘léger de main’ meaning dexterous. Often Alan Keown has been a percussion teacher and arranger in the Pacific Northwest for over
translated ‘sleight of hand,’ execution of this movement requires just that. At many points, 32 years. He spent many of those years as a drumset and orchestral performer as well as
the musical texture conjures up the image of two performers rather than one. Melodic and marching percussion specialist at the University of Oregon, Oregon State University and
rhythmic themes are presented in increasingly complex ways, physically juggled between various high school programs.
multiple limbs across the set-up.
In physics, interference is a phenomenon in which two waves superimpose to form a
This too shall pass… for solo vibraphone offers an oasis of simplicity in stark contrast to resultant wave of greater or lower amplitude. If a crest of one wave meets a crest of
the complex busyness of the outer movements (and of life in the digital information age). another wave of the same frequency at the same point, then the magnitude of the resulting
A delicate melodic theme, uncluttered by sonic drama, seeks to remind the listener of both wave is larger – this is Constructive Interference. One realization of this concept is found
the beauty and fragility of the human psyche. in the creative use of high-and-low pairs of brake drums, cymbals, toms, bass drums,
bongos, and congas. Another is the steady, wavelike heartbeat motive that underpins the
Karma Loop requires the use of live looping to weave together an intricate fabric of phrase lyrical first movement and reappears in the second, more energetic one.
loops on vibraphone, triangle, tambourine, cajon, and finally drumset. Once constructed,
the final musical statement as a whole is certainly greater than the sum of its parts – This two-movement solo for multipercussion not only takes its inspiration from physics
something that without the assistance of technology would be impossible for one concepts but is also written by industry veteran Alan Keown for his talented and virtuosic
percussionist.  son, Matt Keown.

Wildlings, Ivan Trevino Song Book for Alto Saxophone and Marimba, David Maslanka
Wildlings (2014) was written for Michael Burritt, Professor of Percussion at Eastman David Maslanka was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts in 1943. He attended the
School of Music. According to Trevino, “Michael asked me to compose a “drums Oberlin College Conservatory where he studied composition with Joseph Wood. He spent
oriented” piece, one that would compliment the marimba pieces in our duo repertoire. We a year at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria, and did masters and doctoral study in
both began learning music on drums (as opposed to mallet instruments), and I wanted to composition at Michigan State University where his principal teacher was H. Owen Reed.
write a piece that reflected this; something groovy, fun and something we could let loose
on. We’re both fans of the television series Game of Thrones, so the title Wildlings seemed Maslanka’s music for winds has become especially well known. Among his more than 150
appropriate” (Ivan Drums). works are over 50 pieces for wind ensemble, including eight symphonies, seventeen
concertos, a Mass, and many concert pieces. In addition, he has written a variety of
The piece features an echo concept, meaning the players often split rhythms between their orchestral and choral pieces.
parts. A total set up of eight floor toms, a large bass drum, a djembe, bongos, and congas is
required. Combined with solo and improvisational sections, Wildlings creates a wild,
energetic and sometimes chaotic environment.
According to Maslanka, “the movements of “Song Book” are relatively brief. They have a Gitano, meaning "Gypsy", is an energetic work for solo marimba in two movements,
particular thing to say, a particular mood and attitude to express, and then they are done. I written with a hint of Spanish flair. The first movement features a distinct theme that
think of the pieces as emotional scenes” (Maslanka Press). progresses through fast lateral and independent strokes. Between the reoccurring themes,
there are slow rubato sections that are interspersed throughout the piece, providing a sense
I. “Song for Davy” is a reworking of the chorale melody “Das alte Jahr vergangen ist” of delicacy and touch.
(“The Old Year is Past”). This is a song for my young self, written at a time of personal
transition. The music touches a very old memory chord and has a wistful and haunting The second movement consists primarily of sixteenth-note based passages, showcasing the
character. performer’s ability to maintain a sense of strong pulse through mixed meter changes and
dynamic intricacies.
III. “Hymn tune with Four Variations” is the only movement that uses a hymn tune Catching Shadows, Ivan Trevino
verbatim. The melody is “Werde Munte, mein Gemute” (“Be strong my heart”). Ivan Trevino is a Mexican-American composer and percussionist who has become a
recognizable voice in the percussion community. His honest blend of contemporary,
Each variation is a successive speeding up of the chorale statement, with the last being a percussive and indie-rock compositions have become standard repertoire in the field of
chaotic scramble. percussion and are regularly performed around the world. He is a multi-award-winning
recipient of the Percussive Arts Society’s International Composition Contest and has over
Blackbird, Lennon–McCartney, arranged by Ed Smith 70 compositions and songs to his name, many of which were commissioned by leading
Lennon–McCartney (sometimes McCartney–Lennon) was the songwriting partnership performers and institutions in the field.
between English musicians John Lennon (1940–1980) and Paul McCartney (born 1942) of
the Beatles. It is the best known and most successful musical collaboration ever by records Ivan is well-known for his work as a drummer and composer with Break of Reality, an
sold, with the Beatles selling over 600 million records worldwide as of 2004. international touring cello and percussion quartet. As a founding member of the ensemble,
Ivan has headlined concerts across North America, South America, and Asia and was
The song had been born out of a style of playing Bach on the guitar that Paul and George named a music ambassador by the U.S. State Department during the Obama
had both enjoyed showing off since they were teenagers. It was written on Paul’s Scottish administration. His work with Break of Reality has been heard on PBS, Huffington Post,
farm: “I was in Scotland playing my guitar and I remembered this whole idea of ‘you were Yahoo Music and is on regular rotation on NPR.
only waiting for this moment to arise’ was about, you know, the black people’s struggle in
the southern states, and I was using the symbolism of a blackbird. It’s not really about a In addition to composing and performing, Ivan is an active educator who has presented
blackbird whose wings are broken, you know. It’s a bit more symbolic!” (uDiscover) educational clinics at hundreds of institutions around the world. He has designed and
taught courses at Eastman School of Music and was most recently a faculty member at
Ed Smith's music career as a jazz vibraphonist and percussionist spans more than three Baylor University’s School of Music.
decades. He has performed with distinguished artists such as John Cage, Phil Wilson,
Louie Bellson, Johnny Mathis, Ed Soph, Glen Velez, Trichy Sankaran, Nyoman Wenten, Catching Shadows is a marimba duo commissioned by Michael Burritt, professor of
Hands On’Semble and many others. percussion at Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY. It features riff-based grooves,
pop-inspired melodies, and a tonal aesthetic throughout. This piece was inspired by a
Gitano, Alice Gomez playlist of Burritt's that he and Trevino listened to once on a road trip. The piece has
Alice Gomez has gained international recognition for her Latino and Native American become standard repertoire in the field of percussion, having been performed by colleges
influenced compositions. She grew up in San Antonio, Texas, a city rich in cultural and high schools around the world.
diversity, playing the drums in my father's Latin dance band. As a composer, her goal is to
create works that capture the true spirit of ethnicity and communicate it in contemporary Pulsar, Francisco Perez
musical language. In creating new works, she strives to preserve and promote the traditions Dr. Francisco Perez (b. 1990) is a percussionist, composer, and educator from Pflugerville,
of her Hispanic culture, as well as those of the many other cultures that she embraces. TX. He currently serves as Assistant Professor of Music (Percussion) at Lamar University
in Beaumont, TX, where he oversees all aspects of the percussion studio. Francisco
received his Doctorate of Musical Arts and Master’s in Percussion Performance from the
University of Kentucky under Prof. James Campbell. He received his Bachelor of Music
Education from Texas Christian University under Dr. Brian West.

Named after the rhythmically static astronomical entity, Pulsar is a groovy, polyrhythmic
snare solo composed by Francisco Perez. This piece, inspired by Neil deGrasse Tyson’s
Cosmos as well as the rhythmic style of Mike McIntosh, is performed alongside a
beautifully atmospheric soundscape, which was inspired by the electronic music group
Moderat.