When aspiring musicians combine their talents in Kimbrough Concert Hall, drums, keyboards, guitars and an English horn can converse through music.

The WSU School of Music hosts an annual concert series with faculty performers called the Faculty Artist Series. The next installment will feature musicians from WSU and UI.

School of Music instructor Brad Ard, and other faculty members will perform music from Ard’s CD “Diver Dance.” The music is a mix of funk, groove and jazz more commonly referred to as jazz fusion.

“It’s a chance for people to hear (Ard) as a guitarist, as a composer, and as a new member of the faculty,” said David Jarvis, coordinator of percussion studies at WSU. Jarvis will play drums in the concert.

Ard’s music is non-typical, said Brian Ward, instructor of jazz piano who plays keyboard for the concert. There are elements that a variety of people will find interesting, from those who like rock and roll to advanced compositional music.

“It’s an interesting mix of things,” Ward said. “Lots of different styles.”

Ard said he believes in doing your own thing to make a unique statement about one’s self. He said he chose to perform this style of music because there are already so many albums within defined genres, so why throw another twig on the fire?

“When I write each tune I come up with a rhythmic feel or group and write around that,” he said.

The concert tonight will include guitar, keyboard, percussion, bass, cello, saxophone and English horn instruments. Ard described the keyboards as synthesizers, creating a harmonic environment for the rest of the instruments to play on top of.

The keyboards will switch between improvisation and playing melodies, evoking a colorful mood to match the music.

The inclusion of UI player Jon Anderson and WSU player Brian Ward is meant to create a larger harmonic environment, said Ard.

“He’s been very supportive,” Ard said. “I have a feeling Jon and I will get to know each other better as time goes on.”

Jarvis said his job as a drummer is to lay down the groove and provide a beat for the rest of the players to help keep in time. He described his position as providing a tight rhythm section where precision is needed to keep the groove going.

“Hopefully if I lay it down properly and feeling strong people will tap their feet,” he said.

The concert will start at 8 p.m. in Kimbrough Concert Hall. Tickets are free for WSU students with ID, $10 for general admission and $5 for non-WSU students and those over 60 years of age.