Music ensembles returned to the stage in the Fine Arts Auditorium on Tuesday Nov. 2 and Tuesday Nov. 9. The Percussion Ensemble kicked off the semester’s ensembles on Nov. 2. Michael T. Byers, Anthony R. Crimely, Deja S. Delaney, Eric Fordham, Isaiah A. Geer, Taylor M. Levesque, Aaron D. Mullins, Erykah Z. Spriggs, Jacob C. Talevski and Julianne C. Thomas performed seven musical numbers for the Percussion Ensemble.

The George-Anne Inkwell sat down with Dr. Stephen Primatic, who directed the Percussion Ensemble on Nov. 2 to talk about how this change affects the music program.

“It’s back to the norm,” Primatic said.

Every music major must participate in four semesters of ensemble to graduate. They video taped their performances throughout the pandemic to have a record of them, but this semester, students performed in front of an audience, which is a big deal for musicians. The only concession to the pandemic was the electronic program projected on the screen next to the stage.

“It’s a chance for percussionists to be upfront because we don’t get to be upfront that often,”Primatic said. He went on to say that the percussion ensemble is a way for listeners to experience percussion in a way they don’t usually experience it. Percussionists usually support the other instruments, but the percussion ensemble consisted of only mallets and drums. The opening piece, “Septet” by Dennis Griffin, only consisted of drums. “It’s a concert, so it’s art and music for people to take in however they want to take it in.”