Letter from the Department
Welcome to this concert presentation by the Music Program in the Department of Performing Arts. We are delighted to have the wonderful support of great families and friends. A very special welcome goes out to our visitors from the community who may not have any affiliation to our students, and simply come to hear spectacular musical performances by these talented student musicians. We hope everyone in our audience is pleased with the musical selections; and proud of the achievement of the students involved.
The students you will hear at this performance are not music majors. They do this for their love of music and dedicate their time and energy to cultivating their passion for this art form. They are as dedicated to their studies and career pursuits as they are to this intrinsic passion they have within them. The program is fortunate to have a bounty of students with this yearning. We would not exist without them!
The Music Program and Department of Performing Arts is dedicated to providing robust opportunities in the performing arts while students are at Drexel. Our goal is to provide a positive and supportive environment for our students. It is our hope that students and audiences alike feel they are represented in the selections being performed. The human connection is most important to us all.
Thank you for attending this performance. Being here is the greatest show of support for the students, the Music Program, and the Department of Performing Arts. Thanks to the dedicated leadership of the faculty ensemble directors and staff, we are pleased to present you with the following program.
Sincerely,
Luke Abruzzo, Music Program Director
Miriam Giguere, PhD, Department Head, Performing Arts
Acknowledgements
The Experimental Music Ensemble would like to thank Miriam Giguere, Luke Abruzzo, Hannah Burke, Ellie Ebby, and Elisha Robinson for their endless support. Mark Stockton and Talia Greene for hosting us at the Pearlstein Gallery. Jillian Harris and Daniel Zakirzyanov for their creativity and dance collaboration.
About The Ensemble
Founded in 2021, The Experimental Music Ensemble explores contemporary methods of composition, sound, design, and improvisation in music while fostering an environment of creativity, teamwork, and community.
About The Concert
The Experimental Music Ensemble is pleased to partner with the Pearlstein Gallery to present a program inspired by works found in the fall exhibition, "Of the Grid.” The Ensemble will perform compositions and site-specific improvisations that capture the imagination of imagery displayed in the gallery.
Program
The Drexel University Experimental Music Ensemble
Christopher Farrell, Music Director All Blues Red Earth Calling Masar Plastic People A series of improvisations
SHIFT (Excerpts). Movement Design by Jillian Harris and Daniil Zakirzyanov. Dancer: Daniil Zakirzyanov.
by Miles Davis
by Christopher Farrell
by Le Trio Joubran
by Four Tet
by the Experimental Music Ensemble
Ensemble Members
Christopher Farrell Ensemble Director
Colin Keenan Drums & Sequencer
Kate Beaver Bass & UFO Drum
Owen Malette Synths
Monica Buzzanca Trumpet
Jimmy Aiello Synths
Alina Hernandez Electric Violin
Emmet Kenney Guitars and Objects
Jacob Noble Guitars
Tanish Shibu Thomas Keyboard Weiss Percussion
Christopher Farrell Experimental Music Ensemble Director
Christopher B. Farrell is an award-winning composer for Red Earth Calling, multiinstrumentalist, producer, and founder of the critically acclaimed instrumental ensemble, the Rit Mo Collective. Christopher has scored music for over 100 multi-media productions including film, television, dance, and spoken word poetry. He averages over 150 live performances a year and has performed on five continents during his 33-year career as a musician.
. As an Educator, Christopher is currently in the Music/Dance faculty at Drexel & Temple Universities and a Dance Accompanist at Swarthmore College. His previous appointments include Accompanist at University of the Arts in Philadelphia (2012-2020), Lecturer at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogota, Colombia (2018-2019), Excel Summer Music Program Director at UC Santa Cruz (2003) & Oxford University (2001 & 2002), and English Teacher at The UC Berkley affiliated Anglo American School in Bologna, Italy. (1999 –2003)
Samples of his work can be found at found at: Mud: Bodies of History, Red Earth Calling, and Sound Cloud.
Interested in a Music Minor?
Drexel offers four different music minors:
Music: requires 26 credits, including work in Music Theory, History, private lessons, ensemble performance, and 9 credits of music electives.
Music Theory and Composition: aimed at people who are writing their own music or who would like to begin doing so. You will take courses in Music Theory, Arranging, Composition, and Digital Composition, and end with a portfolio of several completed pieces.
Music Performance: requires two years of private lesson studies with our artist faculty culminating in a recital. The Music Program will provide support for the recital venue and accompanist.
Jazz & African-American Music: includes course work in Jazz History, African-American Music, Jazz Theory, private study in Jazz performance, and ensemble work in several ensembles devoted to jazz.
Support Great Performance
Dance, Music, and Theatre are a vital, central part of the Drexel academia and student life. Donations support performing arts ensembles and programs, as well as the operation of our performing arts venues, including the Mandell Theater and URBN Annex Black Box Theater.
Drexel University Department of Performing Arts Staff
Department Head Dr. Miriam Giguere
Program Directors Luke Abruzzo Music
Nick Anselmo Theatre
Jennifer Morley Dance
Administrative Staff
Ellie Ebby Department Assistant
Hannah Burke Department Administrator
Caroline Leipf
Mandell Theater Managing Director
Elisha Robinson
Performing Arts Graduate Assistant
Liv Shoup
Audience Services Coordinator
Lauren Tracy
Ensemble Production Associate
Production Staff
Paul Jerue
Theatre Production Manager/Black Box Theater Technical Director
Asaki Kuruma
Costume Shop Manager
Chris Totora
Mandell Theater Technical Director
Upcoming Performing Arts Events
CHAMBER STRINGS
December 2, 2025 | 7:30 PM | Main Auditorium
FUSION BAND & ROCK ENSEMBLE
December 2, 2025 | 7:30 PM | Mandell Theater
JAZZ ORCHESTRA & JAZZTET
December 4, 2025 | 7:30 PM | Mandell Theater
DREXEL UNIVERSITY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
December 5, 2025 | 7:30 PM | Main Auditorium
ALL-COLLEGE CHOIR AND CHAMBER BRASS AND WINDS
December 6, 2025 | 7:30 PM | Main Auditorium
DREXEL UNIVERSITY GOSPEL CHOIR
December 6, 2025 | 7:00 PM | Mandell Theater
END-OF-TERM THEATRE SHOWCASE - FALL
December 6, 2025 | 5:00 PM | URBN Annex Black Box Theater
December 6, 2025 | 7:00 PM | URBN Annex Black Box Theater
December 6, 2025 | 8:30 PM | URBN Annex Black Box Theater
PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE
December 7, 2025 | 1:00 PM | Creese Lobby
UNIVERSITY CHORUS AND CHAMBER SINGERS
December 7, 2025 | 3:00 PM | Great Court in Main Building
CONCERT BAND
December 7, 2025 | 7:00 PM | Mandell Theater
Learn more about our upcoming events: drexel.edu/performingarts
