SUU Music Hosts Rags to Riches: Golden Age of Xylophone

Published: September 09, 2016 | Read Time: 2 minutes

Rachel Roulet and Patrick RouletThe Satellite Salon Concert Series is starting the year off with an exciting evening of xylophone and piano music Rags to Riches: Golden Age of Xylophone on Friday, September 16, 2016 at 7:30 p.m. in the Thorley Recital Hall. Returning to Cedar City to perform in this delightful evening is former director of percussion at Southern Utah University, Patrick Roulet and his wife, Rachel Roulet.

The program will highlight ragtime, novelty, and jazz music from the golden age of the xylophone including: “The Belle of the Cakewalk” written in 1897, “Maple Leaf Rag” and “Bethena” by Scott Joplin, and the "Calliope Rag” performed daily on the Island Queen Steamboat as it transported passengers to the Coney Island amusement park in Cincinnati in 1911.

Lynn Vartan, director of percussion at Southern Utah University said, “This program of music is going to be so much fun - the nostalgia of the Roaring ‘20s and the sound of Ragtime music is so contagious to the happy energy that it embodies!  And it also brings to life the birth of Jazz harmonies!  It is a chance to hear this special music - a chance that won’t come around often if ever!”

Rachel Roulet is the head collaborative pianist at Western Washington University where she accompanies and coaches students in lessons and recitals and performs with the concert choir. She previously held accompanying positions at Towson University, Southern Utah University, and the New England Conservatory. A native of Seattle, Rachel has been affiliated with many arts and educational institutions in the Northwest in a variety of musical and non-musical roles. She has performed as the keyboardist with the Bellingham Festival of Music and was a member of the Board of Directors for the Seattle Young Artists Music Festival.

Patrick Roulet is the Percussion Area Coordinator at Western Washington University where he teaches percussion and world music and directs the WWU Percussion Ensemble. His previous teaching appointments have included full-time tenured positions at Towson University and Southern Utah University and eight seasons as the percussion instructor at the New England Music Camp in Maine.

“It is really exciting to have Patrick Roulet in town again!  He was the Percussion Director before I came to SUU and this program will be a rare treat to see him perform again in Utah,” said Vartan.

Don’t miss this wistful evening with music from the Roaring ‘20s. For more information about the concert, please visit www.suu.edu/pva/music/.

Contact Information:

435-586-5400
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