The UIC Percussione ENsmeble
was founded in 2013

Jordan Kamps founded the ensemble as an outlet for non-music degree students to deepen their experiences performing percussion literature.

The ensemble has since grown into a course serving as a cornerstone for Percussion Degree students and non-degree students. Since its founding, the UIC Percussion Ensemble has had the opportunity to premiere pieces from composers such as Igor Silva, Bruce A Russel, and Ivan Trevino.

The group prides itself on performing a variety of repertoire. Each semester, the ensemble performs a standard from the cannon to deepen students’ connection to the idiom, a piece with an electronic component to give students the experience of performing with fixed media or click tracks, and other pieces that explore combinations of instruments not commonly found in any other ensemble or from composers with unique writing styles. This past January, the ensemble performed a full concert at the Illinois Music Education Conference in Peoria.

Each year the ensemble performs a Fall concert of pieces that are not connected in any way, while the Spring concert features some sort of theme that connects the pieces. In spring 2025 the percussion ensmeble incorporated gamelan into their concert.

For the spring 2024 concert the ensmeble focused on projections and lighting to augment the pieces that were being performed. This included the incredible Blackout Phase by Igor Silva for percussion, guitar, static and processed electronics, and lighting.

Learn more about what UIC has to offer for percussionists and non percussionists on the School of Theater and Music's website or send me a message below. Follow the percussion studio on instagram to stay up to date with all out wacky antics!