Guest Artist Series

Escape Ten

Annie Stevens and Andrea Venet, percussion

Tuesday, February 24, 2026
6:00 pm
Boutell Memorial Concert Hall

Program

About our Guest Artists

Escape Ten is a percussion duo formed by Dr. Annie Stevens and Dr. Andrea Venet. The duo is passionate about exploring all genres, and expressing it creatively through the colorful world of percussion. Escape Ten performs a varied and exciting spectrum of music- including contemporary, pop, jazz, and classical selections. Their repertoire includes their own innovative arrangements, as well as arrangements and compositions written exclusively for the duo.

Escape Ten actively performs around the country and has their own publication series of new percussion duos through Keyboard Percussion Publications (KPP). In addition to a showcase concert at the 2016 PASIC Convention, Escape Ten gave the world premiere of their commission, 2300 Degrees by Ivan Trevino in Atlanta’s Spivey Hall.

Escape Ten has been featured artists at the Barnes Foundation, the 35th and 36th Annual Leigh Howard Stevens Marimba Seminars, the McCormick Marimba Festival, Minnesota Percussion Association Day of Percussion, University of Central Arkansas, University of North Carolina, Southeast Missouri State, Virginia Tech, the International Trombone Festival, Christopher Newport University, the Virginia Music Educators Association Conference and at the Virginia Humanities Conference at Roanoke College.

Decorated as accomplished soloists, Escape Ten members Annie Stevens and Andrea Venet have both performed and competed throughout the world. Dr. Venet is Professor of Percussion at the University of North Florida, and Dr. Stevens is Professor of Percussion at Virginia Tech.

Andrea and Annie are both Malletech performing artists, endorse Remo and DREAM Cymbals, and are members of the Percussive Arts Society.