Part of the mission of the Center is to provide musical opportunities that are not available anywhere else. While the schools teach percussion, they rarely focus only on percussion for performance opportunities. This program explores the wide variety of percussion and allows for a way for all musicians to participate, not just percussionists. The ensemble has performed songs by using the body as a percussive instrument, and with buckets, garbage cans – all showing that music can be created anywhere by using one’s imagination. It is very relevant to push creative boundaries. 

This program is important to our community because it is unique and it reaches out to students and musicians who want to explore beyond the musical instrument they already play. The program is open to all ages, requires no financial investment and encourages teamwork and cooperation. Musicians who participate in the Music Center’s percussion groups tend to be at the Center two or three times a week. The Music Center becomes a place where they feel they belong. That is so important in so many lives. 

The St. Francis Percussion Ensembles are led by John Tetrault and Amanda Jansen, teachers and active performers.