He also directs the School of Music's touring group, the East Carolina Percussion Ensemble, which earned one of two performance spots for student orchestras last fall at the annual Percussive Arts Society International Conference. During his off hours, he leads the popular Panama Steel, a student-based professional steel drum band he organized 10 years ago. He's an entrepreneur to boot, a founder and vice president of Innovative Percussion in Nashville, Tenn., one of the leading companies making mallets for marimba, vibraphone and xylophone. Between his solo and ensemble work, Ford may be onstage three or four nights a week for long stretches at a time. He loves every minute.
Every week is different.
I get to work with wonderful people, both in the school here and other artists and musicians around the state. And what I play is a part of me. I have a love of life, and I want to share that through the music. In a guest artist concert in Chapel Hill, he keeps his audience entranced with a mixture mellow and mirthful. First comes the haunting, ethereal melody of the title track from Polaris, his own composition.