For 20 years, the Moraine Valley Percussion Ensemble has been turning heads and transforming everyday objects like soup cans and desk bells into instruments on the Palos Hills campus of Moraine Valley Community College. This year, the group is celebrating two decades of musical exploration, community engagement and creative performance.
“One thing I really love about percussion ensemble is the atmosphere,” Rosie Caprio, 20, of Oak Lawn, said. “Although we need to be serious at times, we still have many moments to laugh, be silly, and most importantly have fun! On top of that, you get to share it with the family that you make through being in percussion ensemble and that’s super precious to me.”
Founded in 2005, the ensemble began as a noncredit class with just five members. Today, it has grown to 15, reflecting not only increased interest but also a broadening range of talent and musical ambition.
Doug Bratt, professor of music and director of the ensemble since its beginning, has guided the group from its humble start to becoming a dynamic presence in the local arts community.
“We started with very little equipment. We didn’t even have a marimba,” Bratt said. “I knew from my experience as a graduate assistant at Northern Illinois University that a percussion ensemble could be a fun and unique addition to Moraine Valley.”
Bratt, who holds degrees in history from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and in music from Northern Illinois University, said the ensemble is a place where musicians from all walks of life can come together to grow and create. Members include students, professionals and community members.
“We always like to see growth in the Moraine Valley Percussion Ensemble,” he said. “That growth can be musical, such as learning new instruments or playing more complex music. It can also be personal, such as building confidence, leadership and community.”
Each semester, the group draws between 12 and 15 members, though some years have brought in as many as 20. According to Bratt, most percussion ensemble compositions are written for anywhere from two to 20 players, and the size of the instruments often determines how many people can participate at one time.
Over the years, the ensemble has performed at high-profile events including the Illinois Music Education Convention, the Illinois Percussive Arts Society Day of Percussion, Chicago’s Millennium Park and the Chicago Arts in the Dark Parade. Professional guest artists frequently join the ensemble, offering students valuable exposure to the world of professional music performance.
Maura Vizza, a communications specialist at Moraine Valley and one of the original ensemble members, still plays in the group today.
“When I started in 2005, I was really a flautist just learning percussion because I had a piano background,” Vizza said. “Doug gave me a chance, and over the years I developed my skills and grew to love all things percussion. One of my favorite days of the week is Wednesday, when we rehearse.”
To celebrate its 20th anniversary, the group began special programming last fall and will conclude the year with a concert on May 8. The performance will include a commissioned piece titled Sextet for Disappointed Puppets by Chicago-based Grammy-nominated composer and music educator Ben Wahlund.
Bratt said he hopes to commission more original works for the ensemble in the future and dreams of seeing the group perform on larger stages, such as the Percussive Arts Society International Convention.
“I would love to see the ensemble continue long after I retire,” he said. “It is such an engaging and visually exciting form of music. There are not many places for people who played percussion in school to continue performing as adults. This ensemble is one of those rare opportunities where students and community members can come together and make music.”