50 years of UK percussion alumni return for landmark concert
LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 14, 2026) — Percussion alumni from more than five decades of the University of Kentucky School of Music will return to campus Saturday, May 16, for a landmark concert celebrating the impact of the UK percussion program. The free performance is 7 p.m. in the Singletary Center for the Arts Concert Hall.
Bringing together more than 60 alumni from the 1970s to current students, the concert highlights the percussion program’s reach and the community it has built over time. The event is also a tribute to Professor Emeritus James Campbell, who taught at the university and directed the percussion ensemble from 1985 to 2023.
“This concert is also a great way to celebrate Jim Campbell and his time at UK. He will be conducting two of the most significant pieces in the repertoire, and two that he often programmed during his time here,” said Matthew Geiger, D.M.A., assistant professor of percussion. Geiger earned his D.M.A. at UK under Campbell. “For nearly 40 years, Jim taught and mentored some of the most successful percussionists in higher education and in the performance world.”
Program highlights include the world premiere of a newly commissioned work by 2012 graduate Tyler Swick, composed specifically for this event and featuring all performers; a return performance of “Rudi’s Batuque” by D.M.A. alumnus Julie Hill, which originally premiered at a UK percussion alumni concert two decades ago; and Edgard Varèse’s “Ionisation,” presented with expanded instrumentation and performers.
In addition, the concert will include an memorial tribute honoring members of the UK percussion community who have died. The ensemble will perform “Have You Ever Seen the Grand Canyon” by D.M.A. alumnus Brian Nozny.
“This concert represents a truly monumental moment for the UK School of Music, highlighting the profound impact our percussion program has had on generations of graduates and the legacy of students who have come through it,” said Ben Arnold, School of Music director. “It stands as one of the largest and most meaningful gatherings of percussion alumni in our history and serves as a celebration of our past and a powerful reflection of the program’s continued influence and momentum into the future.”
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and healthcare. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $1.02 billion research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.