Assistant Professor
D.M.A., Manhattan School of Music
Office: 815-753-7981
E-mail: gbeyer@niu.edu
http://www.gregbeyer.com
Greg Beyer specializes in repertoire that places non-Western instruments into the context of contemporary musical thought. He won Second Prize at the 2002 Geneva International Music Competition, has given solo performances and masterclasses throughout the U.S. and Europe, and has been featured at three Percussive Arts Society International Conventions.
Beyer gave both the World and American premieres of Heinz Holliger's "Ma'mounia." He performs the works of Iannis Xenakis, Roger Reynolds, James Dillon, Javier Alvarez, and Elliott Carter, and also commissions new works for solo percussion.
His project O BERIMBAU involves ethnomusicological research on the berimbau and other related musical bows in addition to composing and commissioning new works for this ancient instrument. In 2004, Beyer traveled to Itaparica, Bahia, Brazil as an invited Fellow of the Sacatar Foundation to spend two months creating new music for berimbau, furthering the intention and scope of his project.
With earned degrees in Percussion Performance from Lawrence Conservatory and the Manhattan School of Music, Greg has been an active performer in New York City appearing as percussionist with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, as a jazz drum set artist, and as a drummer/percussionist for many live performances and recordings. Greg is the recipient of a 2003 ASCAP award for his multi-media composition "Bahian Counterpoint."