PIERCE COLLEGE HYBRID ENSEMBLE

 

WINTER 2021

Passages is a partially-improvisatory, electro-acoustic work for open instrumentation by local Washington composer, Alex Shapiro. The piece instructs performing musicians to select from a variety of pre-composed musical phrases or improvise their own into the texture as the accompanying electronic audio track passes by. Shapiro writes: "In a world in constant flux, Passages offers a calming, centering, meditative, and encouraging outlook." The PCHE students learned, improvised, and recorded their tracks for this piece remotely in their home environments. Most musicians delivered two tracks each, adding depth and layering to the final virtual performance. The video footage was captured by the musicians on our campus in Puyallup, Washington during a socially-distant rehearsal break in March 2021.

 
 

FALL 2020

The Rameau Project is the Pierce College Hybrid Ensemble's response to our remote and socially-distant Fall 2020 season. The music is a four-part arrangement of "Forêts Paisibles" from Jean-Philippe Rameau's 1735 opera, Les Indes Galantes. Each variation has been created by a different percussionist in Hybrid Ensemble in collaboration with a different dance style and visual performer. The project was inspired by Bintou Dembélé's krump choreography in the Paris Opera's staging of the oeuvre in 2017.

I. Contemporary
II. Marching Battery
III. Metal
IV. Swing
V. Trap
VI. Samba

Or watch each individual movement here …

I. CONTEMPORARY

This contemporary variation was created by Pierce College students LeMetrius Sumpter (found percussion) and Kenny Ritchie (keyboard). The dancer/choreographer is Ieva Bračiulytė (University of Washington Department of Dance) with visual direction and editing by David Comeaux (https://comeauxcreative.com/) and script and production assistance by Analisa Murray.

II. MARCHING BATTERY

This marching battery variation was created by Pierce College student Evan Brentson (using Virtual Drumline). The color guard performer/choreographer is Alyssa Bennett (Wasatch Independent Guard, The Battalion Drum and Bugle Corps, Timpview High School Color Guard Instructor) of Salem, UT.

III. METAL

This movement is still in progress.

IV. SWING

This swing variation was created by Pierce College students Hannah McVay (drum set) and Kenny Ritchie (keyboard). The dancer/choreographers are Katina Vallens and Ted Stanley, two members of the Los Angeles, California swing dance community.

V. TRAP

This trap variation was created by Pierce College students Karla Gomez (electronic beat) and Kenny Ritchie (keyboard). The dancer/choreographer is Raquel Gordon (University of Washington Department of Dance).

VI. SAMBA

This samba variation was created by Pierce College students Tahlia Williamson (drum set) and Kenny Ritchie (keyboard). The dancers are members of the Utah Valley University Repertory Ballet Ensemble with movement direction by Kendra Rangel.