ERICK SAOUD –BIOGRAPHY Erick Saoud is quickly establishing himself in the world of percussion, as both a performer and an educator. He is the Instructor of Percussion at Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas, as well as a member of the percussion faculty at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. In 2005-2006, Mr. Saoud will be joining the faculty of the Episcopal Collegiate School in Little Rock, working with 9-12 graders on musical fundamentals, percussion, percussion ensemble, and world music.

Mr. Saoud has performed in the United States, Canada and Europe as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral percussionist. In 2003, his performance of Creston’s Concertino for Marimba with the Little Rock Wind Symphony was hailed by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette as “dazzling!” His solo recitals in 2004 were received with critical acclaim and praise. “Saoud [performed] with rarely seen grace and ease…masterfully made the difficult look easy…World-class artistry.” (Pine Bluff Commercial)

Over the past 5 years, his solo percussion recitals have featured the most demanding pieces in the repertoire, by composers such as Joseph Schwantner, Iannis Xenakis, Minoru Miki, David Hollinden and Toru Takemitsu. He has also premiered commissioned works from Frank Wiley, James Wiznerowicz, John Aylward, Anthony Donofrio, and Paul Dickinson.

Mr. Saoud is a co-founding member of the clarinet/percussion duo, PRIZM, with clarinetist Holly Haddad. Formed in 2000, PRIZM is dedicated to the commissioning and performance of new works for the clarinet/percussion genre. In July 2003 they performed the world premiere of Prizm, composed by Frank Wiley, at the International Clarinet Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. In 2005 they premiered commissions from Paul Dickinson and Anthony Donofrio while touring colleges and universities in Arkansas and Ohio. From 2000-2002, Mr. Saoud performed with Crosstalk, an electronic percussion ensemble based at the University of Arizona. The group remains as the only one of its kind in the world, dedicated to the performance of new music composed and arranged specifically for the group. In 2002, Crosstalk released their first C.D., Alias, and a 30-minute video highlighting the aspects of performing with electronic percussion.

Mr. Saoud is currently a member of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and is principle percussionist with the Pine Bluff Symphony (Pine Bluff, Ar.). He is a former member of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Saoud received the Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from the University of Florida and the Master of Music degree from the University of Central Arkansas. He is currently pursuing the D.M.A. degree from the University of Arizona, in Tucson. His principle teachers include Gary Cook, Thomas Burritt, Norman Weinberg, Robin Horn.

Over the past several years Mr. Saoud has contributed articles to the Percussive Notes journal dealing with percussion education and research, ranging from Learning Marimba Literature and Beginning Your Career While A Student, to The Analysis and Effect of Legato and Staccato Techniques on Marimba. He is a proud endorser of Grover Pro Percussion.