Category: Music

KnoxVan Events presents Aaron Graham  

     The performance highlights the possibilities of the marimba. The selection consists of light classical works, jazz standards with backing track accompaniment, as well as arrangements of popular songs.  

     After the concert release on June 19, Aaron joined us for a Performer’s Talk-back and spoke with patrons about the marimba such as what brands make them and where he got his own marimba. He also spoke about the mallets and how each creator makes their own mallets with different amounts of yarn and types of core materials. We had an oppertunity to hear more about his career in music, his move from Texas to Vancouver and being a doctoral fellow at UBC, as well as being an emerging composer.

     This concert and talk-back were a wonderful oppertunity to hear and learn about an instrument that doesn’t often get the spotlight but is beautiful to listen to.

About Aaron

     Aaron Graham is an award-winning performer, composer, and educator. He is currently a Doctoral Fellow at the University of British Columbia pursuing a Doctorate of Musical Arts, where he also teaches percussion courses. He is a member of the Percussive Arts Society Scholarly Research Committee, Black Swamp Percussion Educator’s Network, and won the 2014 Percussive Arts Society International Composition Contest. Aaron’s original works have been performed across the world by university and professional ensembles alike, at the Aries Composers Festival, MATA Festival, TUTTI Festival, Turn Up! Multimedia Festival, and at the 2020 ISCM World Music Days in New Zealand. An active educator, his teachings and reviews have been published in Percussive Notes, Rhythm! Scene, The Instrumentalist, the International Journal of Music and Performing Arts, and at The National Conference on Percussion Pedagogy, Transplanted Roots Percussion Symposium, Muscan Conference, British Columbia Music Educator’s Conference, and the New Music Gathering.

Visit Aaron’s website to learn more here

Community Partner

     The community partner for this highlight is Dunbar Life. Dunbar Life promotes and supports local businesses and events in the local area as well as works with the Dunbar Village Business Association. Check them out on their Facebook page.