Foreigner audience to hear Melton’s percussion composition

Zack Melton will be keepin’ time and smiling with pride when the Bob Jones Drumline warms up for Foreigner at the Von Braun Center on May 10.

Zack Melton composed the percussion piece that Bob Jones Drumline will perform at the Foreigner concert.

In April, Melton was commissioned to compose a “short, groovy piece” for the Foreigner gig by Keith Anderson, assistant band director and percussion instructor at Bob Jones High School.

“This is an incredible opportunity as a composer,” Melton said. A Bob Jones alumnus, Melton is a senior at the University of North Alabama studying instrumental music.

Melton’s percussion composition is “very slow, with lots of rhythmic space, making it easier to feel the big groove. Instrumentation was for four snares, three quads, five basses and five cymbals.”

Huntsville Hospital Foundation is presenting the Foreigner concert.

At UNA, Melton, 22, serves as percussion section leader and plays center snare for the Pride of Dixie Marching Band. He works part time at a grocery store and teaches high school percussionists privately.

Receiving Anderson’s invitation to write the music, Melton was “extremely excited. It brought up multiple emotions, all positive. I feel like it was meant to be — however cheesy that sounds.”

From his years in music, Melton said Anderson is the “one person who’s always motivated me and encouraged me. His example instilled lots of hard work I’ve put in to being the percussionist I am today.”

After graduating from UNA in May 2013, Melton hopes to secure an assistant band director job at a high school in Alabama, Texas or California and build a high school percussion program.

He plans to instruct Drum Corps International for monthly camps and summer tours. Melton also intends to design, compose and teach Winter Guard International and compose and arrange marching battery books for high school halftime shows and indoor drumline shows.

With music as a career path, Melton has “had doubts but never regrets. Music is my life, and I can’t stay away from the feeling of public performance.”

For more information, call Melton at 256-652-2438 or send email to zrmelton@gmail.com or zrmelton@una.edu.