The Iowa State Percussion Ensemble will perform its spring concert Wednesday to start off Saturday’s event, “Iowa Days of Percussion.” The concert starts at 7:30 p.m.

Another concert will take place Friday, which starts at 7:30 p.m. The all-day event begins Saturday at 8:40 a.m. in Music Hall.

Malcolm Kelly, senior in mechanical engineering, will play the xylophone Wednesday and Saturday night, and help manage the events in each room Saturday.

“There’s going to be a ton of percussion instruments flying all over the place, and I’ll be helping to make sure everything is where it needs to be at the right time,” Kelly said.

The Iowa Chapter of the Percussive Arts Society (PAS) will host the event. 

“The PAS is a national organization devoted to percussion performance and pedagogy,” Kelly said. “Other state chapters hold additional Days of Percussion at other times in the year.” 

Kelly anticipates a changed perspective at the event. The variety of musical performances help keep his mind open to different styles of musicality.

“I always come across an artist playing a musical style I hadn’t paid enough attention to, or an instructor who inspires me to reevaluate my practice methods,” Kelly said. “It should be a fine display of some of the state’s greatest percussionists.”

Kelly will play his xylophone across from Matthew Coley, lecturer of music and theatre, and the Iowa Days of Percussion coordinator, on Saturday.

“All the clinics are geared toward training students for the future,” Coley said. “My idea for the whole festival is to give students as much knowledge as we can. We want to show them many variations on this career in music.” 

The clinics are meant to help attendees become stronger in percussion technique and style. The event is structured to have clinics in various rooms at Music Hall. The clinics take place all day Saturday. Some clinics include performances and others will provide training.

“There will be so much to experience. It is built in that way. At times, there will be more specific percussion and nerdy talk, but even the clinics can be interesting to anyone who has an interest in music,” Coley said. “Different ensembles from around the state will perform and when the crowd switches rooms from a clinic, they will enjoy a performance in the lobby.”

Dan Moore, professor and associate director of music at the University of Iowa, and director of the percussion ensemble, has attended the festival for more than 15 years.

“We will be bringing about 15 performers to the Days of Percussion to play a variety of small ensemble pieces, and attend clinics and concerts,” Moore said.

Moore looks forward to the different styles of music.

“Concert goers can expect variety from all the Day of Percussion events,” Moore said. “That’s the great thing about percussion, there is a never-ending variety of the art.” 

Anyone interested in music is encouraged to attend. The event is free of admission and open to the public. Wednesday and Friday’s concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. and the festival Saturday begins at 8:40 a.m.