Desert Medicine Journey
(for Percussion Trio)
2016
Approx. duration = 9:45
MIDI Mock-Up. This piece has yet to be performed
PERFORMANCE NOTES:
Each performer has only two instruments. Suggested instruments are below, but performers may substitute with others as long as all six instruments sound sufficiently distinct from one another.
Percussion 1: High tom (below staff), metal object (above staff)
Percussion 2: Medium tom (below staff), metal object (above staff)
Percussion 3: Bass drum (below staff), Low tom (above staff)
Metal objects can be metal slabs, cowbells, or anything metallic sounding. Percussion 1’s metal object should sound higher in pitch than Percussion 2’s metal object.
Bass drum should be on the small side, and a kick drum may be used.
Dynamics in the score below Percussion 3 apply to ALL parts.
PROGRAM NOTES
Desert Medicine Journey was written while I was staying in a cabin surrounded by National Forest in the high desert of Arizona. I was inspired by the landscape while contemplating the native indigenous tribes who lived on this land in the past. The medicine drum is used in a repetitive way to induce meditative-like trance states and take the listener and performer on an inner vision quest. In this piece I am interested in creating a similar effect through repetition of rhythms and sounds, which are set to overlap in ever unique combinations due to the durations of each pattern.