DIDSBURY - A recent Didsbury High School (DHS) graduate will be returning to town with the University of Lethbridge Global Drums ensemble.
Evan Svendsen, who is studying computer science at the university, is looking forward to returning to his alma mater and performing in front of family and friends.
"When I was in Grade 10, the DHS band did several collaborations with the Global Drums including a tour to the University of Lethbridge to play with them," said Svendsen. "This was my first time ever seeing a post-secondary campus and I knew right away that it was where I wanted to go for school. So I attribute my choice of university directly to the influence of the Global Drums."
The University of Lethbridge Global Drums ensemble will be performing a concert on May 3 at DHS at 7 p.m. The DHS symphonic winds band will also be performing at the concert.
Svendsen is now in his second year with the Global Drums. He joined last year in his second year at the school.
"I didn't initially join the drum group because I wanted to settle into the flow of campus life first," he said. "This is now my second year playing with them. I had never played steel drums before or any drum really, but my eight years of experience playing alto sax in Didsbury greatly helped with transitioning into this new area of music.
"What's fun about playing with Global Drums is the variety of different musical styles that we get to learn from all around the world. The energy that everyone brings to the group is great and playing the instruments is always an enjoyable experience."
Svendsen said the group practises once a week throughout the semester and performs various workshops and tours at different venues throughout southern Alberta.
Although playing with the Global Drums can be hectic, Svendsen said it's not necessarily as hard as balancing school with life in general. Svendsen is in the third year of a four-year bachelor of computer science program.
"Between having a full course load, starting an award-winning club on campus for UFO enthustiasts, developing apps and websites, and having to eat somewhere in all the mess – the Global Drums certainly adds to the plate of stress, but it is something I find very rewarding to be a part of," he said.
"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to ending this 'broke student' chapter of my life, but the Global Drums is certainly one of those things that a person will miss most about their time in school. I hope the things I have gained in participation with them will help me in future ways I may not even know yet."
Tickets for the Global Drums concert are available at DHS (cash and debit) or through the Mountain View Arts Society website, mountainviewartssociety.ca.
