The combination of glass and steel may be a phenomenon that stumps scientists and confounds chemists, but for the enthusiastic members of NYU Steel it is music to their ears. Housed within the NYU Steinhardt Percussion Program, this diverse ensemble under the direction of Joshua Quillen seeks to explore the exciting world of steel pan music while breaking boundaries to incorporate arrangements of contemporary pieces including works by Philip Glass and Jason Trueting. Every semester they discover the rich cultural and musical sounds of Trinidad, where steel pan was pioneered in the mid-1940s. Personifying the heart and soul of this Caribbean island, NYU Steel delights with a variety of concerts each year lifting audiences from their seats to dance to the infectious beats.

In the Spring of 2010, however, the group took on a more serious project that involved a collaboration with one of the most influential composers of the late 20^th century, Philip Glass. Looking to introduce Glass’s music to a drastically different artistic medium, director Joshua Quillen began arranging Glass’s Piano Etudes for NYU Steel. The result was a complete recording scheduled to be released on Orange Mountain Music in May 2011.

Whether engaging audiences with upbeat island tunes or dazzling them with the mellifluous sounds of Philip Glass, NYU Steel is becoming one of the premier university steel pan ensembles on the East coast. Enriching both the community and the city, NYU Steel is discovering all the possibilities when you combine glass and steel.

This class meets once a week, Sunday evenings and is a performance/concert oriented ensemble. Three hours of individual practice time is required of each participant, per week. Participation is determined by audition at beginning of the fall semester.

For further information on NYU Steel, please contact Prof. Jonathan Haas, jonathan.haas@nyu.edu

--Jamie Pittle