Senior Recital

Acoustic Guitar – A global folk staple derived from European designs, with steel strings for projection. Used for strumming and fingerpicking in American, Celtic, and Latin traditions. It frequently acts as the harmonic backbone of small ensembles.

Mandolin – Originating in Italy, with paired strings and a bright, percussive tone. Played with a pick, it’s key in bluegrass, Celtic, and Mediterranean folk. Its tremolo technique sustains notes in otherwise fast-decaying phrases.

Double Bass – A large European instrument played with bow or plucked. Found in bluegrass, jazz, and European folk traditions. It provides both rhythmic pulse and harmonic grounding.

5-String Banjo – Derived from West African instruments and developed in the U.S., with a drone string and percussive tone. Central to Appalachian and bluegrass music. Its rolling fingerpicking patterns define the genre’s sound.

Tambourine – A global frame drum with jingles, used in European, Middle Eastern, and American folk. It can function as both rhythm and accent instrument.

Cabasa (Folk/Latin Music) – Adapted from African beaded gourd instruments, the cabasa is a handheld percussion instrument with a textured cylinder wrapped in metal beads. Rotated or shaken, it produces a rhythmic scraping sound that adds texture and subdivision. It’s widely used in Latin, Brazilian, and global folk-influenced styles, where it reinforces groove without overpowering the ensemble.