A Student Symphony

A percussion symphony written for a freshman English class by Michael Canick '75 of Lawrence, N.Y., was the feature of an all-percussion concert given in the Hopkins Center on March 4. Called Paradise Percussive, it was based on Milton's Paradise Lost. Canick was given the opportunity to write the symphony as a special project after studying Milton's poem. It won him a course citation from Prof. Marilyn Baldwin.

The symphony, in ten movements, portrays the poem with the instruments adopting the role of certain characters and acting out the scenes. It was played by the Dartmouth Percussion Ensemble, eleven musicians organizd by Canick to play the 21 instruments required for the symphony.

The program also included Canick's solo performance of Four Pieces for Timpani by John Bergama; Suite for Marimba by Alfred Fissinger, performed by special guest soloist Stanley Hecht, a member of the Vermont Symphony Orchestra; and an arrangement of Reveille for percussion ensemble by Stanley Hecht.

The concert was the first of its kind to be performed at Dartmouth. Michael Canick. director of the group and a combined English and music major, voiced the hope that another percussion concert will take place next year. He hopes to publish the music and cut a record from the tapes of the March performance.