On Sunday night, DePauw University had the opportunity to welcome
Professor Grey Beyer and his Northern Illinois University quintet to the Green
Center for Performing Arts Thompson Recital Hall. The program, “New Music for an
Ancient Instrument”, featured the berimbau (bee-rim-bau), an Afro-Brazilian bow
instrument.
“The music was really interesting,” said freshman Zach Suchanek, who is a
member of DePauw’s percussion ensemble. “It was a little bit trance-like, just
because of… the acoustics and the very physicality of their playing. Overall, it was a
very enjoyable concert.”
The berimbau itself originates from southern Africa. For Beyer, his
connection the instrument came years ago.
“It was kind of an accident,” said Beyer, who is the head of percussion studies
at Northern Illinois University. “I was at a drum shop in New York City… and I heard
this amazing sound coming from the back of the shop, so I went and took a look and
saw what was going on. Someone was playing this instrument in a very virtuosic
way. It was captivating for me, the sound, I fell in love with it.”
Fifteen years later, in 2013, Beyer, along with one of his undergraduate
students, Alexis Lamb, began Arcomusical. Each semester, the group is taking on a
composition from berimbau chamber works, which will continue through the
spring.
Beyer and his group also led a master class yesterday in the Green Center,
where they discussed important aspects of the berimbau and of music in general.
“It’s very commonly said that music is a universal language,” said Beyer.
“When you allow elements of a musical language to penetrate your mind, body, and
spirit… then you can reassemble that material and give it back to the world. You’re
assimilating a language.”