Percussive Arts Society International Convention - PASIC

Overview

It's the greatest 4 days in drums & percussion!

With nearly 6,000 attendees, it is the largest event of its kind – exclusively focused on drums and percussion in all its forms and from all genres – in the world. This exciting convention takes place here every year, bringing musicians, music enthusiasts, students, and educators from around the globe to Indianapolis, the percussion capital of the world. PASIC is part music festival, part educational opportunity, part networking event, part Expo Hall, and all amazing. We know once you come, you’ll come back year after year.

Anyone can attend this special celebration of percussion, and Indiana residents can get discounted single-day, four-day, or Expo badges.

PASIC50 will feature plenty of star power, clinics, and a recently announced concert by funk superstars Galactic, featuring Jelly Joseph and drummer Stanton Moore, on Saturday, November 15. This special performance is part of PASIC50. Single tickets for Galactic are on sale now. Additional artists include: the Jeff Hamilton Trio, Dafnis Prieto and Sí o Sí Quartet, Gregg Bissonette, Matt Billingslea (Taylor Swift), Nikki Glaspie (Beyoncé, Snarky Puppy), Jerrod "J-rod" Sullivan (Janet Jackson), Glenn Kotche (Wilco), The Santa Clara Vanguard Percussion Section, The US Army Hellcats, Liam Teague, Nancy Zeltzman, Stefon Harris, and many more.

In addition to the deep slate of concerts, clinics and behind-the-scenes knowledge, PASIC50 also features an interactive Expo Hall with more than 100 of your favorite music brands such as Sabian, Yamaha, Zildjian, Promark, IP, DW, Gretsch, Pearl, Mapex, Remo, Evans, Ludwig, Tama, and so many more. Everyone with a PASIC badge gets access to the Expo Hall, where you can play the latest gear from acoustic to electronic drumsets, marimbas, cymbals, timpanis, accessories, and even new releases debuting only at PASIC.

Highlights at PASIC50:

It’s a bounty for jazz fans at this year’s Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC). With performances and clinics from many jazz greats, it’s an incredible opportunity to hear great music, see performers demonstrate their chops, and learn a thing or two about jazz percussion.

Thursday Night Concert with The Jeff Hamilton Trio and Dafnis Prieto and Sî o Sî Quartet -- This 8 pm concert features TWO full jazz acts covering the breath of jazz drumming - with Jeff Hamilton known for playing with many jazz legends such as Tommy Dorsey, Lionel Hampton and Diana Krall. From Cuba, Dafnis Prieto’s revolutionary drumming techniques and compositions have had a powerful impact on the music landscape, nationally and internationally. His various awards and honors include a MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship, a GRAMMY Award for Back to the Sunset (2018), and two other Grammy nominations along with two Latin Grammy nominations.

Saturday Concert: Inuksuit. World-class, boundary-pushing classical music at 1 pm. Take your music friends or bring your family members to experience this free, come-as-you-are musical performance. This extraordinary experience with 160+ percussionists at the beautiful White River State Park will be a highlight. Known for its immersive and environmental nature, Pulitzer Prize-winning composer John Luther Adams’ Inuksuit is a concert-length composition for percussion instruments designed to be performed outdoors. This project will be led by PAS Hall of Fame Member and world-renowned percussionist Steven Schick. Inuksuit has performers widely dispersed and moving throughout a large, open area. The listeners, too, may move around freely and discover their own individual listening points. This work is intended to expand our awareness of the never-ending music of the world in which we live, transforming seemingly empty space into a more fully experienced place.

Jazz or jazz-adjacent artists giving clinics at PASIC50:

• Dafnis Prieto
• Allison Miller
• Yissy García
• Gregg Bissonette
• Stefon Harris
• M’Boom Tribute Ensemble