University of Arkansas Day of Percussion Highlights Vibraphone With Clinics and Local Collaborations

The vibraphone took center stage at the University of Arkansas's annual Day of Percussion on March 11, with six hours of performances spread across the Faulkner Performing Arts Center and the Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall drawing high school ensembles, faculty artists, and a featured guest to campus in Fayetteville.

Chalon Ragsdale, director of percussion studies at the University of Arkansas, framed the event's purpose plainly: a Day of Percussion gives musicians and audiences alike a chance to celebrate the entire spectrum of percussion, from drums to this year's featured instrument, the vibraphone.

Registration opened at 9:30 a.m. in the Faulkner Performing Arts Center, with musical performances kicking off at 10 a.m. when the Arkansas Arts Academy took the Faulkner stage. The program then moved between Faulkner and the Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall throughout the afternoon, featuring sets from Har-Ber High School, Springdale Arkansas Arts Academy, and Siloam Springs High School alongside university ensembles, giving the day a distinctly regional character that pulled in school groups from across northwest Arkansas.

The closing performance, scheduled to begin at 3:20 p.m. in Faulkner, brought the University of Arkansas Percussion Ensemble to the stage featuring guest Brian Graiser under the direction of Fernando Valencia. According to the KUAF preview of the event, Graiser echoed Valencia's emphasis on connection, noting that for percussionists, a gathering like this carries particular weight.

The 2026 vibraphone focus builds on a tradition of spotlighting individual instruments and regional repertoire. The previous year's Day of Percussion, held March 8, 2025, centered on the theme "Marimba in the Americas" and drew performers and lecturers from across the United States, Colombia, and Mexico. That edition was co-presented by the UA Department of Music, the Community Music School, and the U of A Collegiate Chapter of the Percussive Arts Society. The PerCombia Trio, comprising Hector Tascón, Wilson Tovar, and Fernando Valencia, anchored the international component, with the trio's current work including the elaboration of CIMCAM's "Perspectivas Sonoras," an expansion of Colombian music repertoire for percussion trio, compositions for trio and string orchestra, and clinic and workshop programming.

The full program for the Day of Percussion is available through the University of Arkansas Department of Music's website. Those seeking additional information can reach Fernando Valencia directly at 479-575-4701 or music@uark.edu.

Separately, UA Little Rock will host its own Percussion Day on April 25, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall and the Band Room on that campus. Organized by the UA Little Rock Percussion Ensemble and the Trojan Steel Band, the free public event includes a concert, literature and materials, and door prizes from major percussion companies. High school seniors interested in the UA Little Rock Music Program can audition on-site that day.