Tyson, Blake

BlakeTyson

Biography

Born: 1969

Country: USA

Studied: University of Alabama - BM; Kent State University - MM; Eastman School of Music - DMA

Teachers:

Website: http://www.blaketyson.com/

Orchestra: Arkansas - The Big List of timpanists - Conway Symphony Orchestra

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Blake Tyson has a multifaceted career and is known as a teacher, performer, and composer. Since 2001 he has been a member of the faculty of the University of Central Arkansas. His international performances have taken him to Europe, Africa, South America and Asia. He has performed at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention, the Northwest Percussion Festival, the Leigh Howard Stevens Summer Marimba Seminar, and at numerous Days of Percussion throughout the United States. He has also performed as a percussionist with many orchestras throughout the United States, and is currently principal percussionist with the Conway Symphony Orchestra. He received the DMA degree from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. While there he was also awarded the prestigious Performer's Certificate. He holds a MM from Kent State University, and a BM from the University of Alabama.

Blake Tyson has composed many works for percussion, including Vertical River, Anubis, A cricket sang and set the sun, A Ceiling Full of Stars, and Cloud Forest. His teachers include John Beck, Michael Burritt, Larry Mathis, and Peggy Benkeser. He has also studied derabucca with Halim El-Dabh and has devoted intensive study to El-Dabh's unique notational system for the instrument.

Works for Percussion

A Ceiling Full of Stars – Percussion Ensemble (8 players)
A cricket sang and set the sun – Marimba
Anubis – Marimba
Cloud Forest – Marimba with Percussion Quartet
Firefish – Marimba
Inside the Shining Stone – multiple Percussion
Lost Mountain Sunrise – Marimba
Moonrise – Percussion Ensemble (7 players)
Not far from here – Marimba
Ursa Conculium - Multiple Percussion; Trombone
Vagabond of Light – percussion trio
Vertical River – duet for Marimba and vibraphone
The Wind That Turns the World – Marimba with Percussion Quartet