Lugano Percussion Ensemble

Acclaimed in Europe’s contemporary music scene, Lugano Percussion Ensemble is based in its namesake city in Switzerland’s only majority-Italian-speaking Canton. Its first members were students at the Swiss Italian Conservatory (CSI/Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana) led by Professor Mircea Ardeleanu. It focused on contemporary music with a particular attention to the fusion of musical and theatrical language elements and a continuous sound research. The current ensemble includes one principal conductor, six percussionists and is often accompanied by an assortment of solo instrumentalists.

The ensemble makes their Clarice debut with a program of world and U.S. premiere works by Chris Shultis, UMD composition professor Thomas Delio, Mathias Steinauer, Lars Heusser, Luca Steffelbach, Giacomo Platini and a pair of works by William Thomas McKinley, including the world premiere of Again the Distant Bells featuring vibist/marimbist Joe Locke.