Coastal Carolina University's Percussion Ensembles Concert on Thursday, April 9, will feature the world premiere of "Hands Up!" by Ivan Trevino, a work commissioned by CCU and several other universities in response to the ongoing protests in Ferguson, Mo. The concert is at 7:30 p.m. in Wheelwright Auditorium, and general admission is $5.

"Hands Up" is scored for 10 players, including four amplified voices who rhythmically vocalize quotes and slogans from rally signs and social media that surrounded the aftermath of Michael Brown's death in 2014, according to Jesse Willis, director of the percussion groups.

The percussion concert will feature several styles of music from the Caribbean and South America, beginning with Afro-Brazilian music from the Candomble religion. "Candomble" is the name of the religion practiced in Brazil that originally came to the New World from Africa. The ensemble will be performing songs for the diety "Exu" accompanied by the rhythm Vasi.

The Brazilian Percussion Ensemble will also perform a style from Rio de Janeiro called Samba Batucada, a type of samba played only with drums. It is the heartbeat of the Carnival celebration, which occurs in Rio De Janeiro every year at the beginning of the spring.

The world music portion of the program will conclude with the CCU Steel Pan Ensemble playing both traditional and popular music from the islands of Trinidad and Tobago.

The second half of the program will feature the CCU Percussion Ensemble performing classic and contemporary works for percussion. One of the featured pieces is "Toccata for Percussion" (1942) by Carlos Chavez, one of the first pieces written exclusively for percussion instruments. The program will conclude with "Hands Up!"

For tickets or more information, call the Wheelwright Box Office a 843-349-2ARTS (2787).