Third Coast Percussion

Formation and Early Years

In 2004, original members, Anthony Calabrese, Robert Dillon, Jacob Nissly, and David Skidmore were all percussionists with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, as well as students of Northwestern University. Along with their performance work with the ensemble, they formed a chamber percussion group that traveled throughout the Chicago area, performing at Chicago Public Schools and city colleges as an educational device. Although not using their signature title, it was from this humble engagement that the group Third Coast Percussion was created. Inspired by the strong percussion ensemble education and experience that they received at Northwestern, the group began working towards creating their own group, slowly setting themselves apart from any outside organization, in which they performed strictly chamber percussion music.

The first shows by Third Coast Percussion that were non-educational based were performed in the summer of 2005, the very first two being performed at Northwestern and the Music Institute of Chicago in Evanston. In the summer of that same year, the group took a slight turn when Jake Nissly left for graduate studies at Juilliard School of music As a result, Peter Martin, a Northwestern percussionist pursuing a doctoral degree, filled the spot in the group. In addition to Nisslys departure, member Anthony Calabrese would move on to concentrate on his school-work at Northwestern at the time. Former Member Owen Clayton Condon, an alumnus from Northwestern and professor at Northeastern, would take Calabrese's place. This new and refined quartet (Condon, Dillon, Martin and Skidmore) would be the core group that would take the ensemble to the success that it has achieved today.

Rehearsing during the night at Northwestern and Northeastern University for a brief time, the group began tackling their goals as an ensemble. The unique concept of Third Coasts repertoire was something that the group developed early on, influenced by a series of restraints that they dealt with. As a young group, many of their gigs, such as performances at the Empty Bottle, were small venues with a limited amount of space to perform. This would put a restriction on the amount of instruments and the type of repertoire performed by the group. These restrictions were instrumental in the selection process of the music that Third Coast performed, as well as the development of the group’s style.

On February 12th, 2006, TCP played at the Neo Futurarium, a gig that turned out to break open the doors for the group. It was at this performance that they met Ethelbert Williams, now board member of TCP. Mr. Williams, an expert in marketing, was a member of the audience at this concert. Impressed with the ensembles performance, Mr. Williams decided to invite TCP to work with him. Ethelbert Williams was essential in helping to create a presentable package for the group that they could promote to the music world on a much broader scale.

Present Day

Third Coast Percussion has since evolved from solely acting as an educational group associated with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, to a full-time working music ensemble, with Sean Connors resuming Condon's place in the ensemble in 2013. Today, Third Coast is considered one of the leading chamber percussion groups in the country. As champions of both contemporary music and classic percussion repertoire, the group has garnered an increasing amount of attention as an important music group through their critically acclaimed recordings, live performances, as well as their love and passion for education.

Grammy Award Win

Third Coast Percussion was nominated for and won a Grammy Award for Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance for their album Third Coast Percussion | Steve Reich, released on Cedille Records. They are the first percussion group to win in a chamber music category. The album featured entirely music of American composer Steve Reich in honor of his eightieth birthday and received high praise from Reich himself: "When I heard the Third Coast CD of a number of my pieces...I thought, 'Wow, you know, I've never heard them this way.' You have to literally lean in to listen. Which is a very good way to listen. And the whole thing just knocked my socks off." Third Coast Percussion performed music from the album at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards and were joined by jazz saxophonist Ravi Coltrane for the performance.

Outreach

Third Coast Percussion has created strong ties to the community through their inspiring performances, as well as their commitment to education. Originally the purpose for TCP, the group continually makes musical outreach a very important part of their being, working in conjunction with many fine programs to help instill a sense of community wherever they perform. Third Coast has partnered with such groups as the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras, the Civic Orchestra of Chicago’s MUSIcorps, University of Chicago Presents, Urban Gateways, and Rush Hour Concerts. They also give numerous clinics and outreach activities given both in Chicago and on tour.

Urban Gateways

Third Coast Percussion actively performs within the CPS school system through the Urban Gateways program. The Urban Gateways program delivers high quality education from leading professionals in the visual, technological and musical arts to the k-12 grades in Chicago. Their goal is to provide a well-rounded education for kids, to engage students in learning and to increase critical thinking. Third Coast has worked with this group for many years, providing master classes on the art of percussion to kids of all ages through performance of their repertoire and discussion. Their unique program offers a fun, hands on and interactive experience as they learn of the percussion world.

Holy Cross/Immaculate Heart of Mary Marimba Ensemble

As part of their work with the Rush Hour Concert series in Chicago, Third Coast Percussion along with Sones de Mexico, Axiom brass and Spektral Quartet, help provide joy and high quality education within lower resourced communities such as East Garfield Park and the Back of the Yards. Through this musical collaboration, Third Coast Percussion seeks to engage the students in the study of classical music, while also enriching the communities own musical traditions. Third Coast Percussion and the Back of the Yards marimba band perform for each other, which not only acts as an engaging study for the young students, but serves as important lessons for the group as well.

Notre Dame and the ndWaves Project

As a part of TCP's work with their residency at Notre Dame, the group has initiated a project known as the nDwaves Project, in which the group along with WILCO drummer Glenn Kotche and Engineering students from Notre Dame collaborate in order to create a strong connection between the arts and the STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and math). As an interactive program for students located in South Bend, Indiana, the nDwaves project hopes to instill how music is connected through the science of sound. Interactive workshops, which include coloring and drawing, physics of sound classes taught by Notre Dame students, as well as specially made electronic percussion instruments for the kids to play on, are all used to make learning the STEM subjects more enjoyable and relatable by connecting them to music.

Emerging Composers Partnership

Established in 2013, Third Coast Percussion chooses one or more composers each year to collaborate with in the composition of a new work for percussion quartet. The winning composer(s) have the opportunity to work extensively with the ensemble by workshopping the new piece leading up to its Chicago premiere. Past winners have included Ben Hjertmann, Jonathan Pfeffer, Danny Clay, Katie Young, Annika Socolofsky, and José Martínez.

Original Music

Reaction Yield (2016)-Connors/Dillon/Martin/Skidmore

Trying (2014)-Skidmore

WAVES (2014)-Martin

Ordering-instincts (2013)-Dillon

Fractalia (2011)-Condon

Common Patterns in Uncommon Time (2011)-Skidmore

Fanfare for a New Audience (2009)-Skidmore

In Contact (2006)-Skidmore

Double Helix (2005)-Condon

Quadruple Helix (2005)-Condon

Ritual Music (2004)-Skidmore

Echoes (2003)-Skidmore

Works Commissioned

100 different composers: RENGA:Cage:100

Christopher Adler: Pines Long Slept in Sunshine

Timo Andres: Austerity Measures (2013)

Marcos Balter: dark rooms (2007)

Matthew Barnson: Percussion Quartet (2006)

Mark Berger: Percussion Quartet (2006)

Martin Bresnick: A Message from the Emperor

Kirsten Broberg: Constellations (2008)

Christopher Cerrone: Goldbeater's Skin (2017)

Danny Clay: playbook (2015)

Adam Cuthbert: democracy looks like

Thomas DeLio: ...sound / shivering / silence II

Donnacha Dennehy: Surface Tension (2016)

Christopher Fischer-Lochhead: On Tenterhooks (2012-2013)

Ted Hearne: Thaw (2009)

Ben Hjertmann: Automatic Glitch (2014)

Ryan Ingebritsen: Improvisation in an Altered State (2013)

Derek Jacoby: We’ve Gotta Find It (2006)

Glenn Kotche: Stones Flow

Glenn Kotche: Wild Sound (2014)

Andrew McKenna Lee: Like A Sick, Breathing Tambura (2006)

David T. Little: Haunt of Last Nightfall (2010)

Marc Mellits: Gravity (2013)

Otto Muller: Escoria (2010)

Anthony Pateras: Lost Compass (2010)

Jonathan Pfeffer: Jonathan was killed in battle against the Philistines

Christopher Preissing: Point Line Space I: Sticks and Stones

Stephen Syverud: Snow Creatures

Augusta Read Thomas: Resounding Earth (2012)

Augusta Read Thomas: Selene

Augusta Read Thomas: Wonderful Things! (Tomorrow Sings with Hope)

Aaron Travers: Deep Carving (2006)

Dmitri Tymocsko: Röckdöts (2013)

Discography

Ritual Music (2008)

John Cage - The Works for Percussion, vol. 2 (2012)

Resounding Earth (2013)

Haunt of Last NightFall (2014)

Unknown Symmetry (2013)

Third Coast Percussion | Steve Reich (2016)