The WVU School of Music will once again host its annual Percussion Camp this year at the Creative Arts Center from June 15-19. The popular week-long event is for young percussionists ages 14 to 18.

Students may register right up until the beginning of camp, which will include daily workshops and clinics, solo performances by guest artists, public percussion ensemble performances and much more.

“The students who attend this year’s Percussion Camp will be able to learn from and perform with some incredible guest artists,” said George Willis, the founder and director of the camp and also director of the Percussion Program at WVU.

“The camp will educate every level of percussionist and all of the students will perform in a percussion ensemble that will present a public concert at the end of the week,” he said. “The students who attend Percussion Camps 2015 will remember this week for the rest of their lives.”

Among the guest artists for Percussion Camp 2015 will be Travis Nestor, who is adjunct professor of percussion at Alderson-Broaddus University in Philippi, West Virginia. Originally from Clarksburg, West Virginia, Travis received his bachelor’s degree in music education from WVU in 2012 and his master’s degree in percussion performance from the University of Louisville in 2014. During his education, he studied with well-known marching percussion teachers Shane Gwaltney and Tom Aungst while marching with the Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps (2009) and the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps (2010, 2012.) After acting as quad line technician for the World Class Tate’s Creek Indoor Ensemble for the past two years, Travis has returned to Three Rivers Indoor Percussion where he got his start in the WGI circuit as percussion/visual consultant.

Professor George Willis has been the director of the WVU Percussion Program since 2004. He performs and presents master classes and workshops throughout the country. He is very active in The Willis Duo, performing at universities and high schools throughout the year. He has toured the United States, Europe and Asia with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and continues to be very active with other groups in the region. He holds performance degrees from Carnegie-Mellon University and Temple University and has recorded with the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble and the Pittsburgh Symphony.

Registration for Percussion Camp is $360 and housing is $238, which includes all meals. The fees will be paid upon checking into camp. Students will be staying at Lincoln Hall, a residence hall located on the Evansdale Campus that is only a short PRT ride or walk from the Creative Arts Center.

For more information about Percussion Camp 2015, please visit the WVU School of Music website at http://music.wvu.edu/percussion, call 304-293-5274, or email George.Willis@mail.wvu.edu.

Online registration is available through WVU Continuing Education at: http://bit.ly/1jZOT5g

See the Facebook site at: https://www.facebook.com/wvupercussion.

-WVU-

cl/05/21/15

CONTACT: Charlene Lattea, College of Creative Arts
304-293-4359, Charlene.Lattea@mail.wvu.edu

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