The maracas will add a little different flavor to a concert featuring the MSU symphony band and wind symphony on Thursday night thanks to guest percussionist and Latin Grammy winner Manuel Alejandro Rangel.
The Venezuelan native first learned to the play with maracas, an instrument with Indigenous roots throughout the Americas, from his father.
Manuel Alejandro Rangel & MSU Symphony Band/Wind Symphony - Thursday 7:30 p.m. - The Wharton Center
“I start maracas with my father because my father plays maracas for enjoyment," said Rangel. "He is not a professional musician but he plays amazing maracas.”
Another native of Venezuela is Ricardo Lorenz, professor, and chair of Composition at Michigan State University's College of Music.
Lorenzo composed the music Rangel will perform with the MSU symphony this week.
“It’s wonderful for me this opportunity because this piece is by professor Ricardo Lorenz," said Rangel. "And he gives me the big opportunity to play this piece here in Michigan. So it is a very big dream for me.”
Rangel arches and twists to make the maracas give off the right sound… it’s quite a workout!
“When I play I am [dancing] too," said Rangel. "Because this instrument [I] need a lot of movement with [the] arm and with the body too because you need to connect through the instrument.”
Manuel Alejandro Rangel joins the MSU Symphony Band and Wind Symphony on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at The Wharton Center at MSU. Click here for more information.