PAS Australia Chapter Day of Percussion™ 2025

Get ready for an electrifying day dedicated to the art of percussion.

Whether professional, student, educator, hobbyist or enthusiast, this event is for you!

Immerse yourself in a range of hands-on masterclasses, workshops, and performances. This is your chance to connect with fellow percussion enthusiasts, expand your skills, and fuel your passion for percussion. Guest appearances from some of Australia’s finest performers, pedagogues, and instrument makers.

From 9am to 4.30pm, our schedule will be packed with a variety of sessions you can move between at your leisure. An instrument display room will be open when you need a break!

At 5pm (free entry), we honour Barry Quinn (1936-2025) with a ‘Celebration of Life in Music’ featuring a special performance from an enormous percussion ensemble made up of alumni, students, and members of our community.

At the end of the day, we invite our masterclass participants to perform alongside our presenters in a 7.30pm Gala Concert featuring performances from our artists, along with some additional surprises!

Please contact us if you have any questions: pas-australia@unimelb.edu.au

Schedule:

9:00 am to 4:30 pm - All day events

5:00 pm To 6:00 pm - Barry Quinn: Celebration of Life in Music

7:30 PM To 9:00 pm - Gala concert

Presenter schedule:
08:45 am - REGISTRATION OPENS

09:00 – 09:30 am: The freelance survival toolkit
BRENT MILLER
Room 811

09:30 – 10:15 am: Melbourne Bellringers
DR. DERYN GRIFFITHS, SARAH STANCOMBE, LUKA SOSTARKO, LAURA DALE
Room 810

10:15 – 11:00 am:  An Introduction to Afro-Latin American rhythms and styles
ALEX PERTOUT
Room 809

11:00 – 11:30 am: Rare instruments, rarely tuned
JOHN RECTHER
Room 808

11:30 am – 12:30 pm: Unlocking your percussion superpower
DR. ANN SHOEBRIDGE & BRENT MILLER

12:30 – 1:30 pm: LUNCH BREAK

1:30 – 2:15 pm: Magic metals
ROBERT COSSOM
Hanson Dyer Hall

2:15 – 3:00 pm: Percussaganza
DAVID JONES
Kenneth Myer Auditorium

3:00 – 3:45 pm: Music and Ritual of the Guewel
LAMINE SONKO
Hanson Dyer Hall

3:45 – 4:30 pm: Making your vibes playing sound great!
NICK PARNELL
Hanson Dyer Hall

4:30 – 5:00 pm: BREAK

(4:00 – 4:45 pm: Alumni Rehearsal)
Kenneth Myer Auditorium

5:00 – 6:00 pm: BARRY QUINN: A Celebration of Life in Music
Kenneth Myer Auditorium

6:00 – 7:30 pm: BREAK

(6:30 – 7:15 pm: Sound checks and ensemble rehearsal)

7:30 – 9:00 pm: GALA CONCERT
Featuring performances from all our artists, PLUS:

• ANAM Percussion Department, directed by Peter Neville

• Monash Percussion Studio, directed by Louise Devenish

• MYRIAD (the Percussion Ensemble of the Melbourne Conservatorium, directed by Brent Miller)

• Mega Ensemble performing with David Jones

Click here for more information on our artist line-up.

If you are performing on the day

If you have let us know, we have made an instrument available for you.
Please bring your own sticks if you can! We have limited extras.
If you would like to perform in the ensemble offerings, there is still time to let us know – please do so at your earliest convenience to give us the best chance of having everything ready for you.

There is no dress code for the performances – please wear what you are comfortable performing in.

Payments on the day

On-site, we accept card payments only. No cash facilities will be available.
Tickets can be purchased in person on the day for both the day sessions and the gala concert.

Registration

When you arrive for the day, please come inside to our registration desk on the ground floor, where our friendly team will greet you.  Please show us your ticket or provide your name, and we will issue your lanyard. If you arrive after 11:00 a.m. and the registration desk is unattended, please proceed directly to the next session area, where we will greet you.

Quiet Space

If you need a sensory break, head to Level Three and unwind in the foyer space of Hanson Dyer Hall.

Parking

Parking around us and in the Grant Street area is a 3-hour limit until 9pm. Using Arts Centre or Ballet Centre car parks is a recommended alternative.

Lunch Break

Lunch break in the schedule is 1230-1330. 

It is recommended to bring a packed lunch to save time – you can find seating on Level Three in the foyer space of Hanson Dyer Hall. If you need to travel out to find lunch, here are some recommendations:

·      Miss Pearl – 3 minutes walk around the corner.  Bookings recommended to prevent delay.

·      Koyzina Cafe – 5 minutes walk down Sturt Street. Café style, open until 2pm.

·      IGA on Sturt Street – 5 minutes walk down Sturt Street – pickup a sandwich or snack to go!

·      Saporito Cafe – about 7 mins walk – caution: if dining in, order quickly to allow enough eating time.

Ticket Types:

Adult - Standard ticket price.

Concession - Concession tickets are for concession holders including students, pensioners, and healthcare cardholders. Please be prepared to show a valid ID upon entry.
MobTix - Our MobTix program is an initiative to increase access for First Nations communities and we have a limited number of discounted tickets available. If you require MobTix, please email us directly with your requirements at pas-australia@unimelb.edu.au.

Available Discounts:

PAS Members - Are you a current PAS member? Please get in touch with us at pas-australia@unimelb.edu.au to confirm your membership and we will provide you with a discount code.

Interstate - Are you travelling from outside Victoria? To show our appreciation for your commitment, we would like to offer you a discount on ticket prices. Please get in touch with us to confirm.