PASIC 2008 Hits Third Highest Attendence In Austin

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Over 6,500 drummers and percussionists from around the world gathered at the Austin Convention Center to attend the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC), setting the third highest attendance record for the world’s premier drum and percussion event. A truly international event, PASIC artists represented Asia, Africa, Europe, North America and South America. PASIC attendees experienced over 130 clinics, concerts, master classes and performances by the world’s most noted percussion artists. Events covered everything from drumset and orchestral percussion to world percussion and marching.

PASIC programming highlights spanned a variety of topics throughout the weekend. Wednesday’s events included presentations and performances focused on the African influence in contemporary percussion music. Evening concerts throughout the weekend featured the percussion ensemble NEXUS with the Meadows Wind Ensemble, a tribute concert to John Bergamo and legendary jazz drummer Roy Haynes performed with his band Fountain of Youth. Other highlights included the premiere performance by the Rainmakers, a large steel band from Trinidad and Tobago and a clinic by the 2008 DCI World Championship Percussion Section of the Phantom Regiment.

Jazz artist and educator Roy Burns and internationally acclaimed solo percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie were inducted into the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame at a banquet on Friday evening. They joined 96 others in the PAS Hall of Fame whose contributions have dramatically impacted the percussion world.

Other PAS members that were honored at the banquet included Dennis DeLucia, Outstanding PAS Service Award; Tim Lautzenheiser, Outstanding PAS Supporter Award; John DeChristopher, PAS President’s Industry Award; Larry Lawless, PAS Outstanding Chapter President Award and Vicki P. Jenks and Ed Soph received the Lifetime Achievement in Education Award. University of North Texas received the Fred Sanford Award for having the highest ensemble score in the PASIC Marching Percussion Festival.

PASIC 2009 will be held in Indianapolis, Indiana November 11-14 at the Indiana Convention Center. Artist applications for PASIC 2009 are being accepted online at www.pasic.org through December 15, 2008.

For more information on PASIC 2008 and PASIC 2009, please visit our website at www.pasic.org.

Please contact Jon Feustel at jfeustel [at] pas [dot] org for any image requests.

About PAS
The Percussive Arts Society was established in 1961 as a non-profit music service organization. Its mission is to promote percussion education, research, performance and appreciation throughout the world. PAS is the world’s largest percussion organization with more than 7,000 members representing over 50 countries and serves as the central source for information and networking for drummers and percussionists of all ages.

For more information about the Percussive Arts Society or PASIC, visit its web site at www.pas.org or call (317) 974-4488.

Posted by on Thursday, November 20th, 2008. Filed under Current News.