Four incredible talents have come together to present a new and creative piece of music to the Gustavus and St. Peter communities. Bob Adney, Eric Barsness, and Paul Hill of the rumbling and rolling Minnesota Percussion Trio team up with composer and Gustie grad Katherine Bergman to present Land of Cloud-Tinted Water, a fresh work that seeks to explore five different locations in Minnesota’s diverse wilderness.
This collaborative concert will take place from 1:30-3pm on Oct. 16 in Bjorling Recital Hall. Admission is free with Gustavus ID, otherwise public tickets will cost five dollars.
The Minnesota Percussion Trio was initially formed in 1987, and has held within its membership a myriad of talented artists from around the Twin Cities area over the years, while always keeping the operative number of players at three.
“Working in a trio of accomplished percussionists is very rewarding,” Hill, one of the currently active percussive players, said.
Hill is a percussion instructor at Gustavus, as well as several other schools, and is also the Principal Percussionist & Assistant Principal Timpanist of the Duluth-Superior Symphony Orchestra.
“The family of percussion instruments is so large and varied that we never get bored and are always surprised by the new sounds we hear with any new piece we play,” Hill said.
The group often visits libraries and schools, where they perform fun and engaging pieces from their repertoire.
“It’s always a treat to see the faces and reactions of our audience because they rarely get to hear a concert of just percussion,” Hill said.
Sophomore Chris Coleman has known of the Trio for some time and their innovative take on percussion instruments.
“I love what the group has done so far. They’re not afraid to rethink traditional percussion, and I’m stoked to hear how their sound has evolved in this new work,” Coleman said.
On the other side of this performance is Katherine Bergman, a music major and a class of ’07 Gustavus graduate. In her near ten years since leaving The Hill, Bergman has succeeded as both a composer of new chamber music, and also as a saxophone performer and instructor. She even helped found the Caprice Saxophone Quartet, and Spitting Image, a group that joins composers, performers and listeners to collectively strengthen the Twin Cities contemporary music community.
Bergman’s inspiration for Land of Could-Tinted Waters stemmed from her passion for the environment.
“I spend a lot of time outdoors and have a passion for environmental conservation,” Bergman said. “This piece was an opportunity to further explore some of my favorite places in Minnesota and create music to reflect their unique land and soundscapes.”
In this endeavor, Bergman strove to paint a musical portrait of the varied, natural, and largely untouched beauty of Minnesota’s wilderness.
“While there are countless places in Minnesota worthy of a piece of music, I chose five locations that reflect the diversity of the state’s landscape,” she said.
To discover what those five gorgeous areas may be, you’ll have to attend the concert yourself. Bergman’s experience collaborating with the Trio has been nothing short of positive.
“It has been a thrilling experience to collaborate with the Minnesota Percussion Trio in creating this work,” Bergman said. “I could not have found a better group of musicians to interpret the composition, and the expertise they bring to the performance makes the music come to life in wonderfully unexpected ways.”
Hill also enjoyed the learning that comes with working so closely with Bergman’s composition.
“It really gives you a sense of the landscape of the area she was in, as well as a great sense of what she was feeling while there,” Hill said. “This concert has really great music that was a pleasure to put together.”
Hill promises quite the experience for those who come to listen.
“Come with an open mind and open ears—take it all in,” he said.