Percussion @ Penn State Festival & Conference + Marimba Solo Competition April 2026

Described as “exhilarating” by The New York Times and “utterly mesmerizing” by The Guardian, the GRAMMY®-nominated Sandbox Percussion champions living composers through its unwavering dedication to contemporary chamber music. In 2011, Jonathan Allen, Victor Caccese, Ian Rosenbaum, and Terry Sweeney were brought together by their love of contemporary music and interest in expanding the percussion repertoire; they have since captivated audiences around the world through visually and aurally stunning performances. Today, the foursome are established leaders in contemporary music for percussion, engaging a wider audience for classical music through multidisciplinary collaborations with leading composers and artists.

Abigail Walton is an active percussionist, educator, and researcher based in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Especially adoring solo keyboard percussion repertoire, she was awarded first place in Penn State University’s 2025 Marimba Festival and has found recent competition success with Nathan Daughtrey’s Concerto for Vibraphone. Her next scheduled performance of the work will be with the Newark Symphony Orchestra in May 2026. Outside of performing, she is passionate about pedagogy, seen through her private lesson teaching and research grant awards. Abby is currently in her final year of undergraduate studies for Instrumental Performance at West Chester University of Pennsylvania, where she presently studies with Dr. Ralph Sorrentino and Professor Chandler Beaugrand. She is grateful to all who have supported her throughout her musical journey.