By Veronica Olah

The UA School of Music will present the Alabama Percussion Ensemble in concert tonight at 7:30 p.m. in the Concert Hall of the Moody Music Building.

The UA Percussion Ensemble is composed of percussion majors in four groups: a large percussion ensemble, chamber percussion ensemble, and mallet orchestra and mallet ensemble. The mallet groups are just marimbas, vibraphones, xylophones and glockenspiels. They are the “melodic” part of the percussion family, which is about everything a musician can “strike.”

Beth Gottlieb, a UA percussion professor, is a performer, teacher, clinician and soloist, whose experience embraces the entire musical spectrum.

Gottlieb brings a unique twist to the ensembles, having been a performer for Walt Disney World. She said she views music as entertainment, which allows for a huge variety in the Percussion Ensemble’s program.

“We have to play all styles of music to be able to please everyone in the audience, Gottlieb said. “This is the approach I take with the UA Percussion Ensemble, and is also true at Disney because you get every age in the parks and you want to be able to play music that works for all.”

Gottlieb worked at Disney World for over 20 years and still plays the Candlelight Processional Show during Christmas at Epcot, one of Disney’s theme parks.

“At Disney, I got to record some great movies and play a lot of live shows on property as well as tour with a lot of great artists,” Gottlieb said.

The concert music ranges from Mozart to contemporary, to show, to jazz, to rock, to Latin, to exciting “Stomp” type pieces, such as Stick Schtick where the performers play with broomsticks.

“The large percussion ensemble will be performing a very difficult piece called “Stained Glass” by David Gillingham, which will feature UA faculty member Kevin Chance on piano, as well as a ‘Super Mario Medley’ from the video game, which all the students love,” Gottlieb said.

The program will also be featuring a drum set concerto by Justin Fees, a senior Jazz Studies major at UA.

Guest conductors will include Ken Ozzello, UA director of bands, and Brian Radock, percussion graduate assistant.

Gottlieb said she hopes to see everyone in attendance tonight in the concert hall.