Percussion Program

Percussion students at Northern Kentucky University have ample opportunity to perform in a variety of situations at the university and in the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky area. Performances with NKU's bands, jazz ensembles, brass ensembles, choral groups, and junior and senior recitals, are part of the NKU percussionist's curriculum. Percussionists at NKU are often asked to do paid performances for community, theater, or church orchestras and drum set players for various music groups in the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky metropolitan area. Most NKU percussion students are also closely involved in teaching activities at various local high schools. As a result of the many opportunities in our large community, percussionists at NKU are most likely to gain excellent teaching and performance experience before graduating.

Percussion Faculty
The Percussion Faculty at NKU includes Scott K. Lang and Richard Jensen. Mr. Lang is the Percussion Area Coordinator at NKU and member of the NKU Faculty Jazz Ensemble. He is also principle timpanist for the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra and an active freelance percussionist performing for Broadway musicals, symphony orchestras and a drum set player in local jazz clubs. Mr. Jensen is acting timpanist of the world class Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Pops and is a nationally renowned symphonic percussionist.

Percussion Ensemble
Under the direction of Scott K. Lang, the NKU Percussion Ensemble provides percussionists the opportunity to showcase their talent and technique on a large array of percussion instruments. The Percussion Ensemble performs works written exclusively for percussion in a chamber music format as as well as for a large ensemble. Works performed have included those of contemporary and traditional composers as well as the time-honored music of various world cultures. The ensemble is open to all percussion students by audition and performs an on-campus concert each semester.

Steel Band
Founded in 2003 by the current director, Scott K. Lang, NKU's Steel Band explores the music of steel drums from the traditional music of Trinidad and Tobao to contemporary arrangements. Some of the music played includes socas, calypsos, ballads, and popular music as well as symphonic music arranged for steel band. The NKU Steel Band promotes superior ensemble and performance skills while performing a variety of concerts on and off campus. This ensemble is open to all NKU music majors by audition and performs an on-campus concert each semester.