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Saturday, April 29th at 2 PM Pequot Library

April 29th- 2 PM Pequot Library
​Jim Royle, percussion
​History of Percussion
 
Join us at Pequot Library on April 29th  at 2 pm for a Free Young Persons’ Concert featuring percussionists Jim Royle and Brian Ente   
 
James L. Royle is a native of Connecticut and former president of the state chapter of the Percussive Arts Society's for sixteen years, and 2000 Chapter President of the Year. Jim attended the University of Bridgeport as a percussion and education major under the direction of Howard Zwickler, Arthur Lipner, and Bill Finegan. Jim has also studied various aspects of percussion with world recognized masters such as Max Roach, Alan Dawson, Keith Copeland,  Akira Tana, Norbert Goldberg, Vernal Fournier. And Pan Master Professor Philmore.
 
Although Jim enjoys his own performance career, his love of music and the pleasure of passing this love onto future musicians are equally important to him. His studio now in its 20th year, is well known for turning out remarkable performers and all of his students are exposed to many aspects of percussion. Even the youngest students are given the opportunity to progress from Drum set to World, Latin, Afro-Cuban, Orchestra, Steel Drums, Timpani, and Mallet studies. The current studio enrollment stands at over One Hundred and Twenty students, Five graded percussion ensembles from beginner to advanced, with a teaching faculty of six.  Jim’s ensembles have been invited and have performed at Bands of America four times over the last eight years. Other performances have included, The Panorama Steel Pan Festival in VA Beach in 2003, and 2006, Disney World, and Disney Land. His ensemble has also been invited to perform with collegiate ensembles, which include Ithaca with Gordon Stout, Jonathan Haas at NYU. His students have performed with Neil Grover, Liam Teague, Tom Miller, Jonathan Haas, Arthur Lipner, Dave Samuels, and Michael Varner to name a few. In 2004 the advanced percussion ensemble had a piece commissioned by renowned percussion artist Michael Udow, Rio Grande Riffs that will be on a CD of his works to be released in 2006. Jim's students frequently go on to be collegiate music majors in percussion and younger students are well represented in summer music camps and pre-collegiate programs such as Juilliard. It is evident that Mr. Royle has forever touched the lives of these gifted performers.
 
Jim Royle's name has become synonymous with jazz in the New England club circuit and his articulate playing is documented on several CDs, including Storm Before the Calm on the Sea Breeze Jazz label (2000), as well as the more recent Jazz By Coogan, showcasing Jim's small-group talents. Jim is the drummer for the prestigious New England Jazz Ensemble big band, which is the combined product of Walt Gwardyak (pianist of the famous Buddy Rich Band). Jim’s latest CD with the John Judd Jazz Trio. Jim was added to Western CT State University summer faculty in 2006 to present, were he was in residence to present a week long steel drum workshop. Jim was also added to the prestigious faculty roster for KoSA  Percussion Workshop 2007 to present in Vermont, and Montreal.        
 
Brian Ente is a Musician and Composer who studied at Ithaca College with Gordon Stout and Conrad Alexander. As a Connecticut native, he is a former vice president of the state's chapter of the Percussive Arts Society, and works to improve the performance standards and education of percussion both in his local area of Bridgeport/Fairfield, and across the state, taking part as a composer and judge for both the western region music festival on the middle school and high school levels.
 
Brian currently works at the Jim Royle Drum Studio in Bridgeport, where he teaches music privately and composes for both solo students and ensembles. He runs the drum studio's D ensemble and is the assistant director of both the B and A ensembles. His pieces have been performed by the studio's ensembles both nationally and internationally.
 
Mr. Ente has performed with the Roylety Steel Band across Connecticut, and has performed as a timpanist for many of the local churches in his area including Our Lady of Assumption (Bridgeport) and Our Lady Peace (Lordship). He has also performed with the Greater Bridgeport Symphony in their holiday concert series. Brian also had the honor of performing his own works at the Royal Academy of Music in London and the Birmingham Conservatory alongside the Jim Royle Studio Ensembles.
 
As a composer, Brian has been writing the timpani parts for the Western Region Middle School competition in Connecticut for the past three years. His piece Mountainside of Dreams has become a popular four mallet composition among students. His works that have been performed by the Jim Royle Studio Ensembles include Confrontation and The Shadowed City (A) D best, Flexi Tune, and Singing Steel (D). All of Brian's pieces are currently purchasable through Royle Duck Publications
 
Jim and Brian’s concert will be followed by a master class for advanced percussionists. Pre-registration is required for participation in the master class.  To register for the master class write musicforyouthct@gmail.com or call Misty Beyer at (203) 254-0123. Suggested donation for the master class is $35.
 
Music for Youth’s mission is to foster the love and knowledge of live music in young people. The concert in April is FREE for adults attending with children. Adults attending without children are asked to make a goodwill donation that helps to sustain future programs. No tickets or advanced registration is required to attend the concert.   Please visit our website at musicforyouth.net or email us at musicforyouthct@gmail for more information about future concerts. 
 
Jim Royle’s Website:  http://jimroyledrumstudio.com/RoyleDrumStudio/Welcome.html

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  • Home
  • About
  • Programs
    • Friday Night Cafe
    • Meet the Orchestra Series
    • School Residency
    • 2021 ML Instrumental Competition
    • Past Events
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    • Directions
  • Contact Us
    • Subscribe
    • Get Involved
    • Donate