If experimental music has a backbone, it is percussion. While strings and woodwinds carry historical baggage, percussion instruments offer a blank slate for sound design. At the center of the Bonk Festival’s percussion programming was the McCormick Percussion Group, an ensemble based at the University of South Florida. Led by director Robert McCormick, this group became famous for performing complex, rhythmically challenging works that defined the festival’s aesthetic.
The ensemble did not just perform existing pieces; they commissioned hundreds of new works from emerging composers. Their rehearsals were workshops where composers could experiment with new instrument setups, from traditional marimbas to brake drums and scrap metal. The resulting performances were physical and energetic, turning the concert stage into a landscape of metallic resonances and complex polyrhythms. At Bonk, the group was a constant presence, proving that rhythm is a universal language.
Their contribution to the contemporary classical scene extends far beyond Tampa. Through their recordings and tours, the McCormick Percussion Group helped elevate percussion ensemble writing to the level of serious chamber music. Their dedication to precision and innovation made them key players in the history of the Bonk Festival, showing that new music could be incredibly exciting to watch and hear.
