47th Annual Steel Drum Band Concert
Category: Event Calendar
Date and Time
- Saturday, Apr 25, 2026 7:30pm - 9:30pm
Location
E.J. Thomas Hall - The University of Akron
198 Hill St
Details
It’s the unofficial start of summer! The University of Akron Steeldrum Band holds its 47th annual spring concert with special guest Josh Quillen. Groove out to the sounds of the Caribbean while watching up-close action from the Pan-Cam!
More about Josh Quillen:
Josh Quillen is a trailblazing percussionist, composer, and expert steel drum performer who has carved a distinctive path in contemporary music. As a member of the Grammy-winning Sō Percussion ensemble since 2006, Josh has appeared at prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Stanford Lively Arts, and the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and has toured internationally in Russia, Spain, Australia, Italy, Germany, and Scotland. He is acclaimed for his collaborations with leading composers such as Steve Reich, Steve Mackey, Paul Lansky, and David Lang, frequently integrating the steel drums as a core component of new works.
Josh’s passion for steel drums began at Dover High School in Ohio and continued at the University of Akron, home to one of the nation’s first collegiate steel bands. He deepened his connection to the instrument in Trinidad & Tobago, performing with Phase II Pan Groove under Len “Boogsie” Sharpe. After earning his master’s from Yale with Robert Van Sice, Josh pioneered the use of steel drums in contemporary classical music, commissioning pieces from composers like Stuart Saunders Smith and Roger Zahab. Notably, he premiered Steven Mackey’s “It Is Time” at Carnegie Hall on a microtonal lead pan to critical acclaim.
Josh’s compositions have been performed by ensembles including Matmos, PLork, the Janus Trio, and the University of Akron and NYU Steel Bands. His recent performance work, “Radicals in Miniature,” explores the stories of influential figures from the pre-internet era. A passionate educator, Josh is performer-in-residence at Princeton, co-director of the Sō Percussion Summer Institute, and founded the NYU Steel Band, which he led for 19 years.
$25- General Admission, $12- Under 18 and Seniors, FREE- UA ID at the box office
