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KALAMAZOO—The internationally known Desert’s Edge Duo, made up of clarinetist Robert Spring and percussionist J.B. Smith, will present a concert of exciting contemporary music at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 15, in Western Michigan University’s Dalton Center Recital Hall.

Robert Spring

Robert Spring has been described as “one of this country’s most sensitive and talented clarinetists,” by Arizona Republic. Spring was president of the International Clarinet Association from 1998–2000 and has performed for numerous International Clarinet Association conventions. He hosted the 1995 International Clarinet Association ClarinetFest at Arizona State University, where he is presently professor of clarinet. Spring is also principal clarinetist of the ProMusic Chamber Orchestra of Columbus, Ohio.

J.B. Smith

Dr. J.B. Smith is a professor of music and the coordinator of percussion studies in the School of Music at Arizona State University. He is internationally recognized as a performer, composer, educator and conductor. He directs the ASU Contemporary Percussion Ensemble, which was featured in performances at the 1991 and 2002 Percussive Arts Society International Conventions. He served as principal percussionist with Ensemble 21, a contemporary music group, and as principal percussionist with the Daniel Lentz Group, which performed at the Interlink Festival in Los Angeles, the Bang on a Can Festival in New York, and the Festival Musica Visual in Lanzarote, Canary Islands. His CDs "Apparitions for Percussion," "First Reflections," and "At the Desert’s Edge" are available from Amazon.

For more information about the concert, call (269) 387-4704 or (269) 387-4678, or visit wmich.edu/music.