Senior Benjamin Martin performed in his own percussion recital last Thursday evening in the Harriet Fulton Theatre in the Fine Arts Building. The event was sponsored by the Department of Music. Martin says that the recital is a way for him to show how he has improved during his time at UTM. He says that he started preparing for it at the beginning of the fall 2005 semester, sometimes arriving on campus to practice as early as 6 a.m.
“It’s really weird. I’m more excited than nervous. Once I get into it, I know it will be more about having fun than being nervous,” said Martin before the performance. To begin the program, Martin and accompanist Adrian Baker walked on stage wearing ankle bells to play the exotic “Congastück” on congas, where they used their hands and feet to play the song and also exchanged comedic playfulness for the piece. For the resonating and hypnotizing “Spring Colors,” Martin, on vibraphone, was accompanied by Clint Rawls on marimba. Martin then performed a solo on the marimba for the calm and flowing “Memories of the Seashore.” After an intermission, Martin proved that the tambourine has many unique qualities by playing “Shaken, Not Stirred.” He was then accompanied by Bryan Scott and Benjamin Scott Somerville on marimbas to play the frantic “Stubernic,” in which the three would walk around the instruments and play the many sides while switching places with each other. Martin concluded the recital by expressing his gratitude to several people before playing the powerful “Canned Heat” on a combination of bongos, concert toms, tambourines, gongs, and coffee cans. He later joined his Phi Mu Alpha music fraternity brothers in the Fine Arts Building lobby to sing the traditional “Vive L ’Amour” to the departing audience. “I think his recital covered the whole array of musical potential through percussion. The pieces were difficult, but they were performed with ease. Ben is a great student leader and a really great guy,” says Dr. Julie Hill, Director of Percussion Studies, who worked with Martin in preparation for the recital. “It was an honor to work with a brother and to have the opportunity to perform with him in his senior recital,” says Baker. “It was a great recital, the best one I’ve been to yet. Ben is a great performer and I enjoy his music a lot,” says Matthew Emison, a fellow classmate and fraternity brother. Martin says his goal is to be a successful educator and to constantly improve in his field.
“I’m glad I made the right decision in coming here to prepare for my career. The staff has prepared me very well. I would recommend UTM to anyone who is considering music education,” Martin says. “This recital will be something I will never forget. It was one of the most enjoyable experiences I’ve been a part of,” says Martin.