Virginia State University Percussion Studio

06/02/2026

SAVE THE DATE!!!!

We are excited to announce the inaugural VSU Percussion Festival happening April 3, 2027! The Festival will feature HS Solo and Ensemble performances with clinician and adjudicator feedback, masterclasses, collegiate ensembles, and the VSU Percussion Ensemble performing works of a guest composer with a world premier! As we look to encourage total percussion in our schools, what better way than to provide a platform and opportunity for groups to do so!

Registration will begin this fall for interested ensembles and we hope to have you join us for this amazing event!

05/14/2026

Watch as the Virginia State University Percussion Ensemble performs Roots of Bloom by Austin Keck.

Commissioned by Louis Raymond-Kolker and the High Point University Percussion Ensemble, VSU served as a consortium member to have this piece composed and performed.

You can view the entire performance on the VSU Percussion Studio Youtube page: https://youtu.be/_nxPYMcMT9o

04/15/2026

Congrats to Donovan Haywood, David Williams, Theo Dennis and Emanuel Muñoz on their recent sophomore recitals. Each student displayed fantastic performances and beautiful command of snare drum, 2 & 4-mallet keyboard, timpani and drum set per the VSU Percussion curriculum. Everyone showed amazing musical growth and now move on to their upper level advanced studies.

The 4 performers studied under Dr. Ethan Strickland this semester in preparation for their sophomore recitals. Congrats!!

04/07/2026

Percussion Ensemble concert Live stream link:

Join us for the VSU Percussion Ensemble concert live from Davis Hall.

04/06/2026

The VSU Percussion Studio invites you to our Spring Marimba Monday event. The members of the percussion faculty and students will perform their semester keyboard works for the VSU and Petersburg community.

Taking place at Market St. Coffee, this event is free and open to the public. Serving as a fundraiser, partial proceeds from your dining that evening will be donated to the VSU Percussion Studio to support efforts in awarding scholarships, acquiring equipment, music, and other area needs. Hope to see you on Monday, April 13th!

04/05/2026

It’s that time of year where we wonder, “What would our professors say??”

Hmmm…what would Ethan Strickland tell us to do??”

04/01/2026

Join us for our spring Percussion Ensemble concert on Tuesday, April 7th at 7pm! The concert will feature works by Condon, Hopper, Nozny, Trevino and Warren. Also, programmed within the concert are two commissioned works by Austin Keck and Caleb Pickering as well as the world premiere of "Places to Revisit" by our very own, Dr. Ethan Strickland!

The event is free, open to the public and we hope to see you there!

03/30/2026

We had the honor of having Murray S. Piper on campus today, presenting his drum set clinic covering rhythm. An informative, high energy and interactive clinic ensuring that we not only focus on the rhythms within our performance, but also the rhythm of life! Thank you to , and for the support!

03/02/2026

We are only a few days away from the VSU Percussion Night! Come and attend this free event to see all that VSU Percussion has to offer!

The Virginia State University Percussion Studio presents “VSU Percussion Night” hosted by Director Jeremiah Roselle and LC Bird High School on Thursday, March 5th. The event will feature a musical Q&A with the percussion faculty, performances from students and faculty of the Percussion Studio, as well as the VSU Percussion Ensemble and the Trojan Explosion Drumline. This event is free and open to the public but we strongly encourage registration.

LC Bird High School
10301 Courthouse Rd
Chesterfield, VA 23832

https://bit.ly/VSUPercussionNight26

02/04/2026

The Virginia State University Percussion Studio presents “VSU Percussion Night” hosted by Director Jeremiah Roselle and LC Bird High School on Thursday, March 5th. The event will feature a musical Q&A with the percussion faculty, performances from students and faculty of the Percussion Studio, as well as the VSU Percussion Ensemble and the Trojan Explosion Drumline. This event is free and open to the public but we strongly encourage registration.

LC Bird High School
10301 Courthouse Rd
Chesterfield, VA 23832

https://bit.ly/VSUPercussionNight26