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Middle School Percussion Ensemble
This ensemble includes a selection of 7th and 8th graders from both East and South Middle Schools
Under the Shade Tree
by M. Jordan Williams
Under the Shade Tree is a pleasant work that has combinations of interesting rhythms and soothing melodies traded around throughout the ensemble.
This piece also experiments with different tones and colors that can be made in percussion through unique techniques such as playing with the back sides of sticks and mallets!
Under the Shade Tree is a pleasant work that has combinations of interesting rhythms and soothing melodies traded around throughout the ensemble.
This piece also experiments with different tones and colors that can be made in percussion through unique techniques such as playing with the back sides of sticks and mallets!
Flotsam & Jetsam
by John Herndon
Flotsam & Jetsam was inspired by maritime jargon, referring to items lost or discarded from onboard a ship. As such, it is recommended that the piece be performed on found instruments like brake drums, buckets, pails, trash cans, or anything that can be struck with stick.
This piece allows for these found instruments or traditional percussion instruments. Tonight, you will notice that our percussionists are performing on a combination of these things, from pots and pans to drums!
Flotsam & Jetsam was inspired by maritime jargon, referring to items lost or discarded from onboard a ship. As such, it is recommended that the piece be performed on found instruments like brake drums, buckets, pails, trash cans, or anything that can be struck with stick.
This piece allows for these found instruments or traditional percussion instruments. Tonight, you will notice that our percussionists are performing on a combination of these things, from pots and pans to drums!
RPHS Percussion Soloists
These students have all prepared solos for the District Solo & Ensemble Festival this past weekend. All Ray-Pec percussion solos received either gold or silver medal ratings.
Yellow After The Rain-Dean Johnson
by Mitchell Peters
Yellow After the Rain is perhaps the most performed marimba solo in all of percussion, and for good reason. This timeless work has varieties of technical demands from the performer, as well as a wide dynamic range, all while being a pleasant and catchy tune that percussionists worldwide hold in high regard.
Yellow After the Rain is perhaps the most performed marimba solo in all of percussion, and for good reason. This timeless work has varieties of technical demands from the performer, as well as a wide dynamic range, all while being a pleasant and catchy tune that percussionists worldwide hold in high regard.
Ghost Garden-Porter Gum
by Adam Hopper
Ghost Garden is inspired by vacant and abandoned lots. These areas, once reclaimed by the earth, are sometimes referred to as Ghost Gardens. In this piece, you can hear where the lot once held a vibrant and exciting tone, only to slowly fade away and change. Through a series of transitional themes, the main idea reforms and comes back as the piece concludes, thus depicting the beauty of the land as it is reimagined.
Ghost Garden is inspired by vacant and abandoned lots. These areas, once reclaimed by the earth, are sometimes referred to as Ghost Gardens. In this piece, you can hear where the lot once held a vibrant and exciting tone, only to slowly fade away and change. Through a series of transitional themes, the main idea reforms and comes back as the piece concludes, thus depicting the beauty of the land as it is reimagined.
Yellow After The Rain-Kendyll Gethers
by Mitchell Peters
Yellow After the Rain is perhaps the most performed marimba solo in all of percussion, and for good reason. This timeless work has varieties of technical demands from the performer, as well as a wide dynamic range, all while being a pleasant and catchy tune that percussionists worldwide hold in high regard.
Yellow After the Rain is perhaps the most performed marimba solo in all of percussion, and for good reason. This timeless work has varieties of technical demands from the performer, as well as a wide dynamic range, all while being a pleasant and catchy tune that percussionists worldwide hold in high regard.
Rain Dance-Jonathan Reque
by Alice Gomez
Rain Dance is perhaps the only marimba solo that has near the same reach in the percussion world as Yellow After the Rain. Gomez draws heavily upon her own Hispanic background in bringing catchy syncopated melodies to the marimba, utilizing many foundational skills for the high school marimba player. This piece is both a great tool to hone marimba technique and a great performance piece to entertain an audience!
Rain Dance is perhaps the only marimba solo that has near the same reach in the percussion world as Yellow After the Rain. Gomez draws heavily upon her own Hispanic background in bringing catchy syncopated melodies to the marimba, utilizing many foundational skills for the high school marimba player. This piece is both a great tool to hone marimba technique and a great performance piece to entertain an audience!
Dance of the Witches-Jacob Stark
by Eckhard Kopetzki
One of the darker pieces of music of the night, this marimba solo is fast and aggressive. Syncopated rhythms keep this piece sounding exciting and fun to listen to.
One of the darker pieces of music of the night, this marimba solo is fast and aggressive. Syncopated rhythms keep this piece sounding exciting and fun to listen to.
High School Percussion Ensemble
This ensemble meets as a high school class and is comprised of members ranging from 9th to 12th grade.
Dreams from The Dark Forest
by Brian Slawson
Dreams from the Dark Forest is a progressive four-movement work, designed to challenge percussionists to formulate a narrative through instrumental music.
I. Myths & Legends resembles an introduction to a collection of fairy tales. The music should remain subtle and serve as a setup for what is to follow.
II. The Great Beyond has a distant, adventurous character. As in the first movement, the ensemble should maintain a subtle approach to the dynamics in order to best serve the narrative.
III. Cloudburst is a fully improvised musical depiction of a thunderstorm. Started by the concert bass drum, all effects to follow are left to the discretion of the performers. Be on the lookout for all of the creative instruments and sounds that each percussionist uses to create the effect of a storm rolling in and then fading away. Even in free improvisation, the greatest results occur by listening to each other and focusing on the sum of the parts.
IV. Whispers of Warriors Past, like the second movement, begins with a distant timpani call. Be patient with the dynamic build and end the story with a powerful climax.
Dreams from the Dark Forest is a progressive four-movement work, designed to challenge percussionists to formulate a narrative through instrumental music.
I. Myths & Legends resembles an introduction to a collection of fairy tales. The music should remain subtle and serve as a setup for what is to follow.
II. The Great Beyond has a distant, adventurous character. As in the first movement, the ensemble should maintain a subtle approach to the dynamics in order to best serve the narrative.
III. Cloudburst is a fully improvised musical depiction of a thunderstorm. Started by the concert bass drum, all effects to follow are left to the discretion of the performers. Be on the lookout for all of the creative instruments and sounds that each percussionist uses to create the effect of a storm rolling in and then fading away. Even in free improvisation, the greatest results occur by listening to each other and focusing on the sum of the parts.
IV. Whispers of Warriors Past, like the second movement, begins with a distant timpani call. Be patient with the dynamic build and end the story with a powerful climax.
Curse of Tortuga
by Chris Crockarell
Curse of Tortuga is a piece that is just one movement, but still packs in just as much variety as Dreams from the Dark Forest, if not more! Starting in a slow and quiet layered entrance, this piece quickly moves to a fast 12/8 groove with moments for every performer to shine. All in all, a great closer to our concert tonight.
Curse of Tortuga is a piece that is just one movement, but still packs in just as much variety as Dreams from the Dark Forest, if not more! Starting in a slow and quiet layered entrance, this piece quickly moves to a fast 12/8 groove with moments for every performer to shine. All in all, a great closer to our concert tonight.