duo Anime
Plagal Alterations by Marshall Griffith
Wednesdsay, 12:30 p.m.

The ensemble duo ANIME features percussionists Andrew Pongracz and Mell Csicsila. The duo regularly performs for the Musical Rainbow programs of the Cleveland Orchestra Educational Activities Office both at Severance Hall and “on the road.” They have presented performances for several organizations including the Cleveland Composers Guild and the Ohio Chapter of the Percussive Arts Society.

Andrew Pongracz is principal percussionist of Cleveland Chamber Symphony, a professional orchestra committed to the performance of new music. He also is a regular performer with many of the region’s symphony orchestras, including the Cleveland Opera, Youngstown Symphony, Erie Philharmonic, and Ft. Wayne Philharmonic. In addition to duo ANIME, Pongracz collaborates with Cleveland Orchestra violist Art Klima, exploring the new repertoire for viola and percussion. Pongracz is on the faculties of Hiram College and Lorain County Community College. He holds degrees from Hiram College and Cleveland State University.

Mell Csicsila is principal percussionist of the Cleveland Pops Orchestra and also performs regularly at Cleveland’s Playhouse Square Theatre complex. Csicsila is a guest artist for the Cleveland Orchestra’s “Learning Through Music” arts integration project and is on the faculty of Cuyahoga Community College. He served on the faculty of Kent State University’s Stark campus from 1995 to 2004, and was an assistant conductor of the “All-Ohio” State Fair Band from 1994 through 2001. He holds a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from Cleveland State University and has pursued additional graduate study at the Cleveland Institute of Music.

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