As Third Coast Percussion celebrates its twentieth anniversary, the group continues to take percussive art to new heights. The ensemble has won one and been nominated for seven collective Grammys, performing worldwide with a wide array of instruments that includes marimba, vibraphone, glockenspiel and crotales, as well as homemade objects like tuned metal pipes, metal bars and wooden planks (along with more familiar drums like tom toms, bongos and congas). The ensemble also has a vast, global view: “We’ve incorporated traditions around the world, like the mbira from Zimbabwe, the riq from Egypt and the Middle East, and cloud gongs from Taiwan,” says David Skidmore, ensemble member and executive director. “Some of the musical forms we perform include Shona music from Zimbabwe, Hindustani classical music, jazz, rock, electronic dance music and Indonesian gamelan. I know there are more, but these come to mind right now.” Skidmore is joined by fellow ensemble members Robert Dillon, Peter Martin and Sean Connors, who collaborate to perform everything from workshops to complete percussive symphonies, continuing to both educate and amaze.

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