Renowned clarinet/percussion duo to perform free concert

Contact: Cara Barnes
October 10, 2012
Photo of Desert's Edge Duo.
Desert's Edge Duo at Dalton Center Recital Hall Oct. 15

KALAMAZOO鈥擳he internationally known Desert鈥檚 Edge Duo, made up of clarinetist Robert Spring and percussionist J.B. Smith, will present a concert of exciting contemporary music at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 15, in Western 九一麻豆制片厂 University鈥檚 Dalton Center Recital Hall.

Robert Spring

Robert Spring has been described as 鈥渙ne of this country鈥檚 most sensitive and talented clarinetists,鈥 by Arizona Republic. Spring was president of the International Clarinet Association from 1998鈥2000 and has performed for numerous International Clarinet Association conventions. He hosted the 1995 International Clarinet Association ClarinetFest at Arizona State University, where he is presently professor of clarinet. Spring is also principal clarinetist of the ProMusic Chamber Orchestra of Columbus, Ohio.

J.B. Smith

Dr. J.B. Smith is a professor of music and the coordinator of percussion studies in the School of Music at Arizona State University. He is internationally recognized as a performer, composer, educator and conductor. He directs the ASU Contemporary Percussion Ensemble, which was featured in performances at the 1991 and 2002 Percussive Arts Society International Conventions. He served as principal percussionist with Ensemble 21, a contemporary music group, and as principal percussionist with the Daniel Lentz Group, which performed at the Interlink Festival in Los Angeles, the Bang on a Can Festival in New York, and the Festival Musica Visual in Lanzarote, Canary Islands. His CDs "Apparitions for Percussion," "First Reflections," and "At the Desert鈥檚 Edge" are available from Amazon.

For more information about the concert, call (269) 387-4704 or (269) 387-4678, or visit wmich.edu/music.