Dynamic Percussionists pax duo Are Performing at Ball State!

October 08, 2025

Guest Artist Recital: pax duo | October 22 | 7:30 P.M. | Sursa Hall

pax duo is a percussion project based in Goshen, Indiana and Madison, Wisconsin. Their repertoire moves percussion music beyond the concert hall, incorporating lighting and electronics, and blending genres like indie, hip-hop, and funk into a contemporary classical context.

pax duo is a dynamic percussion project created by Micah Detweiler and Tristan Swihart. Based in Elkhart, IN and Madison, WI, pax duo aims to expand the possibilities of contemporary percussion through collaboration and new creation. To that end they are active in commissioning, composing, and arranging new works for percussion duo. Their style blends genres like hip-hop, indie, and funk with contemporary classical to create music that is widely appealing and musically interesting.

Tristan and Micah first met in the fall of 2012 when Micah began working with the Northridge Marching Band in Middlebury, IN where Tristan was a student. The marching band show that year was entitled Et in Terra Pax, and is where pax duo gets its name. Since then they have gone from student and teacher to close friends and colleagues.

As a duo they have toured extensively, playing at independent venues, universities, and schools along the way. They have collaborated with video production artists on videos of their arrangements and commissions. pax duo also hosts the Midwest Chamber Percussion Camp at Goshen College, an annual camp for high school students that has featured Excelsis Percussion Quartet, Escape Ten, and Frozen Earth Duo as faculty.

Micah and Tristan are both Malletech and Black Swamp Percussion artist endorsers and are proud to use their products.

This activity is made possible in part by the Indiana Arts Commission, which receives support from the State of Indiana and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Program

Untitled* Micah Detweiler and Reuel Williams
Reversion* Austin Keck
Emigre and Exile* Matt Ulery arr. Tristan Swihart
 I. Mother Harp
 II. Tongues
Faded Lines Andrea Venet
Solo to Anthony Cirone* Lou Harrison adapted by pax duo
Bloom Suite* Elliot Cole adapted by pax duo

*=written for or adapted by pax duo
Lighting and set design by Micah Detweiler Sound design and transitions by Austin Keck

This event is free and open to the public.

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