MacKenzie Dayne Hall

 For immediate release

Thomas Burritt to perform Nov. 22 as part of Ouachita’s Guest Artist Series

By MacKenzie Hall

November 10, 2021

For more information, contact OBU’s news bureau at newsbureau@obu.edu or (870) 245-5208

ARKADELPHIA, Ark.— Ouachita Baptist University’s School of Fine Arts will host percussion soloist and concert marimbist Dr. Thomas Burritt on Monday, Nov. 22, at 7:30 p.m. in McBeth Recital Hall. Burritt will perform as part of Ouachita’s Guest Artist Series and will be joined on stage by the Ouachita Percussion Ensemble. The concert is free and open to the public.

Burritt has recorded two solo albums, “All Times Identical—New American Music for Marimba” and “Groundlines,” and also has performed on Grammy-nominated recordings “Conspirare Concert” and “Pablo Neruda: The Poet Sings.” He earned a Bachelor of Music in education and performance from Ithaca College, a Master of Music degree from Kent State University and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Northwestern University, and he is director of percussion studies in the Butler School of Music at the University of Texas at Austin.

“Dr. Burritt is a world-renowned percussionist and educator who specializes in marimba, so I am excited for him to come to campus, work and perform with our students, and share his talent and musicianship with our campus community,” said Dr. Ryan Lewis, associate professor of music at Ouachita.

The Percussion Ensemble has prepared two pieces to perform alongside Burritt at the concert, “The Alabados Song” by Paul Bissell and “Grand Valse Brillante” by George Hamilton Green. Lewis said that this groundwork ahead of Burritt’s arrival gave students “a practical, professional, musical skill”: experience in preparing ensemble parts for a guest soloist with whom they will have little rehearsal time in person.

This year’s ensemble concert is centered on the theme “Other Realms,” encompassing compositions inspired by fantasy, supernatural and spirit worlds. Songs featured in the concert include “Ritual Music” by David Skidmore, “Mitos Brasileiros (Brazilian Myths)” by Ney Rosauro, “Lion Dance” by Brandon Dittgen and “Night Hunter” by James Campbell.

“Having guest soloists of Dr. Burritt’s caliber on campus serves to inspire our music students to practice, perform and improve their own abilities,” Lewis said. “The percussion ensemble students will gain a great deal of musical skills from preparing and performing these pieces, and the audience will be inspired by both the music and the musicians.”

The Guest Artist Series brings world-class performers, musicians, art exhibitions and productions to Ouachita to share their talent with the community.

For information on the concert or Ouachita’s percussion program, contact Dr. Ryan Lewis at 870-245-5421 or email lewisr@obu.edu.