First-ever faculty piano recital to take place in USI Performance Center

The University of Southern Indiana Performing Arts department is excited to announce a piano recital by Thomas Drury, instructor in music, will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, March 22 in the USI Performance Center. This event, the first faculty piano recital from the USI Performing Arts Department, is free and open to the public.

The theme of "Dance Music for the Piano" features music by Frederic Chopin and Scott Joplin. Both men composed primarily for the piano and, for both men, their respective cultural heritage was of prime importance. Chopin was from Poland at a time when there was no independent Polish nation and Joplin was African-American living in the time after the Civil War but before the Civil Rights Movement. This performance will explore how each composer used the music and dance rhythms of his people to give them a voice in his music.

Drury is staff accompanist for USI Performing Arts and directs the USI Jazz Ensemble in addition to teaching music classes. Off campus, he composes music in his spare time and serves as organist and director of music at Trinity United Methodist Church. Drury has also performed on piano and harpsichord with the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra and is the leader of his own professional jazz ensemble, the Tom Drury Quintet

For more information, contact Drury at twdrury@usi.edu or 812-492-7502.