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A bowl gong gig with the St. Olaf Band

By Linnae Stole '10
April 29, 2010
Artist in Residence Dave Hagedorn says playing the gongs has been a challenge, but they "make for truly unique music."

Dave Hagedorn likes to play. Besides his responsibilities at St. Olaf — which include teaching World Music and Percussion Methods classes, leading a percussion studio, and directing three jazz bands — the St. Olaf artist in residence is active in the freelance Minneapolis St. Paul music scene. He regularly performs with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Minnesota Orchestra, the Minnesota Opera, and VocalEssence.

Twice a month he plays at the Artists Quarter with the Phil Hey Quartet and the Pete Whitman X-tet. And then there are the gigs that come up when out-of-town musicians like Brian Setzer pass through the Cities.

So Timothy Mahr '78, conductor of the St. Olaf Band, was glad Hagedorn was able to find time to solo at the ensemble's Spring Concert Saturday. The performance will feature Hagedorn playing the second movement of David Maslanka's David’s Book — a work for solo percussion and winds (originally commissioned in part by the St. Olaf Band, funded by the Miles Johnson Endowment) that employs a set of 21 Japanese temple cup gongs.

Playing the gongs, used by meditating Buddhist monks for more than 2,500 years, has been challenging. "The angle at which you have to hit them for a good sound is awkward and the 'targets' are hard to distinguish from each other," he says. But it's worth the effort. "The gongs are used for meditation, so the sounds they add make for truly unique music." Hagedorn also plays vibraphone in the piece.

Connecting with students
Hagedorn makes sure his musical connections pay off for students. For nearly a decade, for example, he has been inviting a local jazz artist to perform with the St. Olaf jazz bands at their spring concert and present master classes. Last year’s guest, Nirmala Rajasekar, introduced the St. Olaf community to the Indian Carnatic music tradition as she performed on the veena, a traditional Indian instrument.

"Dave is considered by many of our students to be a consummate musician, and someone who is very active within the current scene," says Mahr. "When he gives instruction to our majors about practice techniques or building improvisational confidence, the students drink up every drop of knowledge, knowing that Dave is living his art and is an absolute pro."

The St. Olaf Band concert will be streamed live and archived online.

Contact David Gonnerman at 507-786-3315 or gonnermd@stolaf.edu.