Grammy Award–winning ensemble Third Coast Percussion returns to Swarthmore this February for a multi-day residency centered on performance, participation, and long-term creative collaboration. The William J. Cooper Foundation & the Swarthmore Music Department present Strum, Strike, Bend with Third Coast Percussion, featuring Simone Porter, Violin. The concert takes place Saturday, February 7th at 8 p.m. in Lang Concert Hall. The group will also host an interactive drum circle on February 8th at 12 p.m. in Lang Concert Hall and be involved in a student-led sound sculpture project.

Based in Chicago, Third Coast Percussion (TCP) has spent the past two decades reshaping what contemporary percussion can be. Formed by Northwestern University students and now internationally recognized, the quartet became the first percussion ensemble to receive a Grammy Award in 2017. Known for close collaboration with living composers and for work that moves fluidly across classical, jazz, electronic, and global musical traditions, Third Coast approaches percussion as a broad, expressive sound world rather than a fixed genre (Kueppers 2025).

This is not the group’s first visit to Swarthmore. During their 2018–2019 residency as Cooper Series artists, Third Coast performed Terry Riley’s In C, inviting students, faculty, and community members to join them on stage. In C is an open, minimalist composition, written in such a way that any number of musicians can perform it.

For Professor of Statistics Steve Wang, the experience was transformative. “It was an incredible experience, one of the highlights of my 25 years at Swarthmore. I had not performed anything publicly since college, over 35 years ago, and at first I was petrified, but TCP quickly put me at ease,” he recalled. “I thought it was so generous of TCP to play with us; it’s not something many elite musicians do when they tour.”

Associate Professor of Dance Joe Small ‘05, similarly described the performance as deeply communal. “Performing alongside Third Coast and a wide community of musicians was both an honor and a genuine joy,” he said. “The music invited a lot of openness: curiosity about what might emerge, attentiveness to one another, a generosity of space and voice.”

Professor of Music Andrew Hauze ‘04 echoed this sense of community. “They made everyone feel so comfortable and inspired,” he reflected, “and it was so moving to look across the stage and find a moment of musical connection with fellow musicians of all ages.”

This February’s Cooper Series concert builds on that spirit of collaboration while showcasing the ensemble’s range. Strum, Strike, Bend features “Lady Justice”, a work by Jessie Montgomery written specifically for Third Coast Percussion, alongside Lou Harrison’s Concerto for Violin with Percussion Orchestra, with acclaimed soloist Simone Porter. The evening also includes works by Armenian jazz pianist Tigran Hamasyan and Pulitzer finalist and frequent Third Coast collaborator Jlin, offering audiences a program that spans styles, traditions, and sonic possibilities.

Beyond the concert, TCP’s visit emphasizes participation and accessibility. On Sunday, February 8th at 12 p.m., the ensemble will host an interactive drum circle in Lang Concert Hall. Open to people of all ages and experience levels, the hour-long event invites participants to bring their own hand drum or shaker; a limited number of instruments will also be available. As Director of Concert Programming, Production, and Publicity Jenny Honig explained, “The way that Third Coast presents percussion and drumming is really accessible, especially for participation.”

The residency also marks the beginning of a longer-term creative project on campus: a student-driven sound sculpture developed in collaboration with the Engineering Department and Engineering Professor Carr Everbach. The idea for the sculpture was first discussed during Third Coast’s 2019 visit and has now grown into a structured initiative involving a student think tank, ongoing mentorship from the ensemble, and interdisciplinary collaboration between departments. “We had actually talked in 2019 when they were here about this sound sculpture idea,” Honig noted, describing it as a project meant to create “something for Swarthmore that the college community and beyond can enjoy.” TCP will return in September to unveil the completed sculpture and continue their work with students.

Third Coast Percussion will perform Cooper Series: Strum, Strike, Bend on Saturday, February 7th from 8–10 p.m., followed by an interactive drum circle on Sunday, February 8th at 12 p.m. in Lang Concert Hall. Together, the events offer not only a concert experience, but an invitation to listen, participate, and imagine new ways music can live on campus. Both events are free and open to the public. We hope you join!