During his GFA tour, Azabagic returned to the competition arena and took the 1999 first prize at the Stotsenberg competition. Azabagic's Logan concert program is all classical, presented on a nylon string guitar. The work is contemporary and very melodic, Christiansen said. Award-winning percussionists are featured in concert when two percussion ensembles perform at Utah State University Friday, April 7. Both groups, a USU ensemble and a high school group, are under the direction of Dennis Griffin, head of the percussion program in USU's Department of Music.
Tickets are available at the door.
Traditionally, Griffin has worked with local high school percussion students, forming the Cache Valley Percussion Ensemble. I have four outstanding marimba players and so this year we have a marimba ensemble. Members of this ensemble represent Logan High School and Preston High School. These students have all won competitions, Griffin said, most recently at the Utah Percussion Festival held in February at Timpview High School. Two Logan High students, Tristan Wardle and Casey Cangelosi, tied for first place in the keyboard division and were invited to perform in the honors concert.