WKU News

A big portion of WKU’s campus served as the backdrop for an epic outdoor percussion event this week.

WKU’s Amy Bingham has highlights in this week’s View from the Hill.

Epic in size, monumental in scope. That’s how WKU Professor of Percussion Dr. Mark Berry describes “Inuksuit,” an 80 minute musical work designed to be played outdoors with each musician 30 to 40 feet apart.

“It’s pretty much a once in a lifetime opportunity to have 34 players, percussion players, all students studying percussion this semester to bear down on one sight and one location, play for 80 minutes.”

“I was not expecting to be able to play in an ensemble let alone perform for others and not have it on just a  video.  We’re getting a live audience even though we are socially distanced, this piece needs a live audience.  I think it’s just a great opportunity that we get to have that.”

“The piece was written to transcend or expand beyond the traditional concert hall. It’s too big to fit inside a concert hall.”

“There’s no concert seats, no balcony, no ticketing, there’s no best seat in the house. It is just come to the site and explore.”

“The most challenging part of this is everybody’s part is different. You can’t listen to your neighbor and you can’t rely on other people to cover you up. Everybody’s part is independent and we have to know our own role.”

“It will be a huge piece will talk about with my future students and I don’t think it’s just for musicians, I feel like the general admission audience that would see this piece would take something they’ve never seen before away from it.”

Dr. Berry says he probably never would have attempted this piece if not for the global pandemic. But when planning for the fall semester, he realized the concept of “Inuksuit” fit the bill perfectly.