You’ll never look at your morning coffee quite the same after seeing this one-of-a-kind performance from these brilliant Texan uni students. The five students took their morning java to the next level by creating a unique percussion performance that is just amazing to hear. The students acted out a scene in a cafe that used every part of their Starbucks cups, creating sounds you wouldn’t have thought were even possible with such humble instruments.
The students created bass sounds by stomping their feet and whacking the cups on the table, and produced higher-pitched sounds by tapping on the cups in various ways. The young lady who appeared halfway through the performance even got some mileage out of her straw, creating a shaker effect. The performers also did a great job adding comedic elements that will for sure get you rolling as you see their antics onstage.
The performance was recorded live at Voertman Hall on April 23, 2013. It was put on by the UNT Percussion Ensemble and was uploaded on the University of North Texas College Concerts YouTube channel, where it attracted 1.4 million views. The piece is titled “Coffee Break” and is actually a written composition by Mark Ford and Ewelina Bernacka that features an arrangement for four different sizes of coffee cups.
Music lovers really enjoyed hearing the unique performance, and added comments such as “My inner child is entertained. I would sit down at the kitchen table with a spoon tapping on glasses and cups and everything else within my reach” and “Excellent everyone – I was tapping along and clicking my long nails on my phone with you.” Another popular percussion performance on YouTube is Karos Percussion Ensemble’s unique take on the Pirates of the Caribbean theme.
The composers Ford and Bernacka commented on their motivation for writing the music to “Coffee Break,” stating that “Music is everywhere and of course coffee has rhythm! After many visits to numerous coffee shops and improvising with cups, we decided to write a composition that brings fun, energy, and theatre to the concert stage.”
Ford and Bernacka used the short, tall, grande, and venti coffee cup sizes, along with straws, lids, and cardboard sleeves to create the music for “Coffee Break.”
Ford is the Coordinator of Percussion at The University of North Texas College of Music in Denton, Texas, and Bernacka is his wife.
You’ll never look at your morning coffee quite the same after seeing this one of a kind performance from these brilliant Texan uni students. The five students took their morning java to the next level by creating a unique percussion performance that is just amazing to hear. The students acted out a scene in a cafe that used every part of their Starbucks cups, creating sounds you wouldn’t have thought were even possible with such humble instruments.
The students created bass sounds by stomping their feet and whacking the cups on the table, and produced higher pitched sounds by tapping on the cups in various ways. The young lady who appeared halfway through the performance even got some mileage out of her straw, creating a shaker effect. The performers also did a great job adding comedic elements that will for sure get you rolling as you see their antics onstage.
The performance was recorded live at the Voertman Hall on April 23, 2013. It was put on by the UNT Percussion Ensemble, and was uploaded on the University of North Texas College Concerts YouTube channel, where it attracted 1.4 million views. The piece is titled “Coffee Break”, and is actually a written composition by Mark Ford and Ewelina Bernacka that features an arrangement for four different sizes of coffee cups.
If you would like to hear more from this talented ensemble you can visit their official website for more incredible music.
