The Northern Illinois University Percussion Ensemble will present its biannual world percussion concert at 8 p.m. today at the Music Building’s Boutell Memorial Concert Hall.

NIU’s School of Music is known for its world music program and international performances by the NIU Steel Band.

The concert will continue the tradition of providing a variety of world percussion music from Africa, Brazil, India, Cuba, Bulgaria, Indonesia and Ireland.

The ensemble will be directed by Robert Chappell and Orlando Cotto. Assistant conductors Mark Breen and Ben Wahlund also will be present. Michael Spiro, an internationally recognized percussionist, recording artist and educator, will be the guest artist for the concert.

Spiro has performed on hundreds of records, has co-produced several instructional videos for Warner Brothers and has produced seminal recordings in the Latin music genre.

Spiro also has performed and recorded with artists such as David Byrne, Ella Fitzgerald, Giovanni Hidalgo and Bobby McFerrin.

Opening the concert will be Africa by Moeira, Purim and Neto, which will feature a traditional African drum ensemble from Ghana. The NIU Gamelan Ensemble, under the direction of music professor Kuo-Huang Han, will perform pieces for the Balinese Gamelan Angklung.

“Firedance,” from the show “Riverdance,” and “For the Love of a Goddess,” featuring the NIU Tabla Ensemble, also will be performed, along with other musical pieces.