About:

(χαρά, Greek for ”Finding Joy despite circumstance”)

Chara Percussion from Orleans, Massachusetts, seeks to bring a fresh voice to classical repertoire through percussion ensemble, exploring music ranging from early polyphony, to classical, impressionist, and contemporary works. Chara’s growing repertoire includes works by J.S. Bach, Bartok, Bruckner, Byrd, Deane, Debussy, Dvorak, Eben, Gjelo, Hale, Krasa, Leontovych, Handel, Merulo, Mozart, Pergolesi, Piazzolla, Rachmaninov, Shostakovich, Trevino, Vivaldi, and Westlake.

Members of Chara hold over 100 years of combined percussion ensemble experience, and are all alumni members or associated with Spirit Winter Percussion, the world-renowned competitive indoor percussion ensemble recognized for bringing subtlety and complexity to the art of keyboard percussion. Members have performed in countries including Australia, Canada, Italy, S. Korea, S. Africa, and across the United States, at venues ranging from Opera houses, stadiums, Cathedrals and school auditoriums. Performance venue highlights include Seoul Opera House (South Korea); Johannesburg Opera House (South Africa); Sienna and Pisa Cathedrals (Italy); Church of the Transfiguration (Orleans, MA); University of Dayton Arena (Dayton, OH); Stadiums including Gillette, AT & T and Lucas Oil. Members of Chara performed John Luther Adam’s Inuksuit with over ninety other percussionists at The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University in 2018. They have taught percussion to middle, high school, and college-age levels, as well as independent percussion ensembles, marching bands and drum corps in the United States and Canada, as well as workshops in South Africa.

See Chara’s latest music video on their Youtube channel, Chara Percussion.