Greetings.

I have just returned from a week in Stockholm, Sweden as a guest of the Percussive Arts Society and the Swedish Army. My gracious host was Anders Astrand. I heard many fine performances and heard some informative lectures. I gave two presentations of my “A History of Military Drumming” and met many old friends.

I was also a week in Finland for master classes at the Sibelius Academy and presentations of my “A History of Military Drumming”. My host was Antti Ohenoja and the Finnish Army.

Later in the week I travelled to Tampere-Finland’s second largest city-and was re-united with old friends and former students of mine from my percussion ensemble at the University of Toronto. I heard the Tampere Philharmonic play a contemporary Finnish piano concerto and Sibelius’ Fist Symphony. The percussionists in Tampere hosted a wonderful dinner for my wife and me in the cellars of a beautiful old building.

When I get back from this year’s PASIC, I’ll write in more detail about these lovely adventures and the premier of Eric Ewazen’s concerto for Nexus and the Southern Methodist Wind Ensemble directed by Jack Delaney.

Robin

Robin Engelman
701 King Street West
Suite 1007
Toronto, ON
M5V-2W7