Published: October 01, 2008 04:17 pm      

Percussion clinic to be held at ECU

Three noted percussionists will lead East Central University’s second annual Marching Percussion Festival for area high schools Oct. 2 beginning at 9:30 a.m. at Norris Field in Ada.

Paul Rennick, John Brennan and Mike McIntosh will conduct the workshop which will cover all aspects of marching percussion performance and design. Several high school groups will perform in addition to ECU’s drum line, including Ada, Southmoore, Sallisaw, Jenks and Tulsa Union High Schools.

The festival, part of ECU’s Scissortail Arts Series, is free and open to the public.

Paul Rennick is recognized as a leader in the field of marching percussion. He has been a featured clinician at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention, several Music Educator’s Association conventions and many Percussive Arts Society state conventions.

Rennick has a bachelor’s degree in music education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree in music performance from the University of North Texas where he is a member of the percussion faculty.

John Brennan is the associate director of bands at Plano (Texas) East Senior High School and the executive director of Metro Alliance Percussion, an indoor marching percussion ensemble based out of the Dallas/Fort Worth area. He is also an active clinician, adjudicator and performer throughout Texas, Louisiana, Missouri, Arkansas, Minnesota, Tennessee and Kansas.

Brennan received a bachelor’s degree in music education from Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, La..

Mike McIntosh is the musical coordinator and percussion arranger for the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps in Canton, Ohio. He attended the University of North Texas and was named the PAS snare individuals champion in 1991. McIntosh coordinates the percussion program for the Carmel-Clay school district in Carmel, Ind. He consults/arranges for several WGI percussion ensembles and is a sought-after clinician and adjudicator.

The schools selected to perform represent a true cross-section of percussion education in Oklahoma, said Dr. Benjamin Finley, ECU assistant band director and director of the percussion program.

“The festival will not simply be a showcase of the most powerful and successful band programs,” Finley said, “but rather an opportunity for students of all ability levels to see what is possible with proper guidance and practice, and perhaps compare themselves to others in their field in an inviting, non-competitive atmosphere.”

For more information, contact Dr. Ben Finley at 580-559-5391 or visit www.ecok.edu/scissortail.

This event is funded in part by the Oklahoma Arts Council.