Jojo Mayer headlines the Royal College of Music Festival of Percussion 2023
The Royal College of Music (RCM) Festival of Percussion 2023 is back with a bang on Sunday 7 May. Internationally renowned virtuoso drummer Jojo Mayer, described in Modern Drummer Magazine as ‘destined for “Drum God” status!’, headlines a full day of performances, talks and workshops for audiences of all ages. Alongside Ronnie Scott’s Big Band musical director Pete Long and the RCM Jazz Orchestra, Jojo will close the festival with a special concert featuring a stunning selection of pieces by the legendary jazz drummer and songwriter, Buddy Rich.
Jojo Mayer received international exposure after performing with jazz legends such as Dizzy Gillespie and Nina Simone. He is currently leader of live electronica quartet Nerve which established him as one of the great performers and innovators on the instrument, and in 2014, Modern Drummer Magazine listed him as one of the 50 Greatest Drummers of All Time.
At this year’s RCM Festival of Percussion, the BBC Concert Orchestra timpani and percussion section will perform orchestral masterworks from across the centuries. Other highlights include a family lunchtime concert hosted by Kizzy Brooks featuring the RCM Percussion and Brass Faculties, and a performance by ground-breaking percussion ensemble Abstruckt.
Through talks and workshops, visitors will gain insight from experts such as Mike Dolbear, organiser of the UK Young Drummer of the Year competition. Mike has spent over 40 years in the drumming industry and will talk about “Drumming on a global scale”, and how his experience as a professional drummer and educator helps him to coordinate mass drumming events. Other experts at the festival include Sophie Alloway, Matt French and Grahame King.
Activities for families will include drumstick decorating in the RCM Museum, and the opportunity to try out cajón and Stomp-style body percussion presented by RCM Sparks, the College’s learning and participation programme.
Representatives from the world’s leading percussion companies and distributors will also be present at an all-day trade fair.
David Hockings, Head of Percussion at the RCM and founder of the festival, commented: ‘Now with more than a decade of experience behind us, the annual RCM Festival of Percussion is in better shape than ever. We take pride in delivering a distinctive programme to engage and inspire the youngest percussionists through to seasoned professionals. We are excited to present a world-class line-up featuring experts from all areas of the industry.’
Details of the 2023 festival can be found at www.rcm.ac.uk/percfest
Daytime tickets and Evening Concert tickets are £12 each or £8 for Under 35s. Whole Festival Tickets are £20 or £10 for Under 35s. Tickets are available from the RCM Box Office on 020 7591 4314 or online at www.rcm.ac.uk/percussion/festival
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Source: musicinstrumentnews.co.uk
