UTC Percussion Ensemble takes the stage at international convention

Four percussion students dressed in black rehearse together in a hotel conference room, standing around a setup of drums and mallet instruments with sheet music visible in the foreground.

UTC students Sarah Howard, left, Alec Jones, Walker Herrington and Stewart Huggins performing in the Concert Chamber Percussion Ensemble Competition. Photo courtesy of Ethan McDaniel.

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Percussion Ensemble recently joined thousands of musicians, educators and industry leaders in Indianapolis for the 50th anniversary Percussive Arts Society International Convention, known throughout the music world as PASIC.

Considered the largest percussion-focused gathering in the world, the convention brings together nearly 6,000 attendees each November for concerts, clinics, master classes, competitions and an expo representing every corner of the percussion community.

The trip, which took place Nov. 13-15, centered on the Concert Chamber Percussion Ensemble Competition, where student groups from across the country perform before a panel of leading percussion professionals. The UTC Percussion Ensemble, directed by Lecturer of Percussion and Assistant Director of Athletic Bands Ethan McDaniel, earned a coveted performance slot at the event.

“Going to PASIC for the first time as a percussionist is a life-changing event,” McDaniel said. “Out of the 13 students that attended, only two have previously participated in this convention.

“Thanks to the amazing support from the University, we were able to expose our students to all the ‘percussive’ possibilities that are out there.”

A percussionist wearing sunglasses plays a multi-drum setup outdoors near a riverbank, using mallets on several concert toms while people stand and talk in the background.

Ethan McDaniel

In addition to guiding the ensemble, McDaniel performed as part of a large-scale presentation of composer John Luther Adams’ “Inuksuit,” a landmark work written for dozens of percussionists spread throughout a performance space. His participation connected UTC to one of the most ambitious collaborative performances on the PASIC schedule.

Throughout the three-day event, UTC students experienced performances, interacted with artists and educators, and saw how their work fits into the larger percussion landscape.

For many, it offered a firsthand look at the scope of their field and the expectations of professional musicianship.

“PASIC is not just about experiencing the world-class sessions and performances put on by leaders in our field; it is also about community, networking and meeting your percussion heroes,” McDaniel said. “This experience has opened doors for our students that they didn’t even know existed.

“Being able to perform at the largest percussion convention in the world is just the icing on the cake.”