Campus Welcomes International Guest Artists

The Department of Music will host international marimba artists, Katarzyna Mycka and Conrado Moya.

The Russian-born Polish marimba player and percussionist Mycka was born in Leningrad, now St. Petersburg, and grew up in Danzig/Gdansk. Having advanced degrees from the Staatliche Hochschule fur Musik, Darstellende Kunst Stuttgart and the Mozarteum in Salzburg, she currently serves as director of percussion at the Folkwang University of Arts in Essen, Germany.

Moya is one of the most relevant interpreters of the instrument in the world today. He has been acclaimed for his extraordinary technique and expressive power, as well as for his total commitment on stage. Among his many awards, he is the recipient of the International Prize at the Mercedes-Benz Music Festival in Shanghai and the Chiapas and Guatemala International Festivals for the marimba.  

The two soloists come together for one of the most ambitious projects in the baroque repertoire: a marimba duo transcription of Johann Sebastian Bach’s masterpiece, the “Golberg Variations, BMV988.” Their reinterpretation of this work has been hailed by critics and audiences the world over, and is presented to Truman’s campus as part of their limited 2024 U.S. tour.

The duo will present a performance masterclass with students of the Truman Percussion Studio at 3:30 p.m. Feb. 19, followed by an evening concert at 7:30 p.m. Both events are free and open to the public.    

For more information contact Michael Bump, professor/director of percussion studies. This event is sponsored by the University Funds Allotment Council, University Percussion Society and the Department of Music’s Visiting Artists Grant Program.