Percussion Ensemble - Level 5 - Digital Download SKU: A0.811252 Composed by Antonio J. Garcia. Contemporary,Jazz,Latin,World. Score and parts. 119 pages. Gordon Cherry #6549777. Published by Gordon Cherry (A0.811252). Two Dreams for Trombone and Percussion EnsembleDr. Justin Alexander (Director, VCU Percussion Ensemble) invited me to create a piece for trombone and percussion ensemble that had roles for more- and less-experienced players so that they could mix within the performance. I so enjoyed composing and performing this work. He estimates the overall difficulty grade of Movement I to be a three on a five-point scale and Movement II to be a four, with a grade four for the overall piece; but some players’ parts (within the eight total in the percussion ensemble) are indeed easier.The two Movements are approximately five minutes each.The first Movement  Bilita Mpash (An Amazing Dream) calls for (1) shekeré/guiro; (2) 5-octave marimba (shared with...); (3) 5-octave marimba (shared with previous); (4) claves/drum set with mounted cowbell; (5) bell/mounted cowbell/congas; (6) hi-hat/suspended cymbal; (7) bass drum; and (8) four toms/maracas.The Second Movement (Running with the Tigers) calls for (1) xylophone; (2) vibraphone/glockenspiel; (3) 5-octave marimba; (4) drum set; (5) shaker/samba whistle/congas (opt. voice); (6) triangle/bell tree/hanging bells/agogo bells (opt. voice); (7) bass drum (opt. voice); and (8) Timpani (opt. voice). Pending difficulty levels, the conga and drum set parts can optionally be split among additional percussionists. The score notes offer a stage plot and many rehearsal tips.Bilita Mpash (An Amazing Dream)The 3-2 Rumba Clave anchors this movement, launched by the shekeré. Rhythmic vamps of multiple bars form the landscape over which the trombone’s melody emerges, followed by a move to double-time 2-3 Rumba Clave (with montuno) and back. The trombone soloist improvises without chordal accompaniment for a while so could reflect on the preceding harmonies or instead freely improvise with no concern as to chord changes, while a later section requires improv over chord changes. After the recap, a surprise tag of the ending phrase in Cha Cha sets up the rubato finish. Bilita Mpash (BILL-it-uh m-POSH) is a Bantu term for an amazing dream, a dream so good that it is the polar opposite of a nightmare-a dream in a blissful state where all is forgiven and forgotten2. Running with the TigersThe opening, written-out marimba solo is somewhat of a nod to vibist Gary Burton’s influence in bringing mallets towards the expression of modern jazz. A 9/8 samba-groove (5+4) transforms to 4/4. None of the percussionists have to have a jazz background, though the drum set player would be more challenged if not already exposed to Latin drumming. The improvised solo section could be all solo trombone or could be divided among various performers, including trading. The recap of the tune begins over 5/8 samba (3+2, later 2+3). The closing arrhythmic drum-set solo crescendos as the optional surprise of percussionists’ (or additional) voices sing at the end. The title of this movement refers to a recurring dream my dad would have, as well as to the active movements of my grandson when sleeping in his earliest years.-Antonio J. GarcíaInstrumentation is for:Solo Trombone and 8-part Percussion Ensemble:shekeré/guiro, 2 5-octave marimbas, claves/drumset with cowbell, bell, congas, hi-hat, suspended cymbal, bass drum, toms, maracas, xylophone, vibraphone, glockenspiel, shaker, samba whistle, congas, triangle, bell tree, hanging bells, agogo bells, bass drum and timpani.This rhythmic and dramatic work includes improvisation by the Trombonist. Listen to the brilliant live performance featuring Mr. Garcia and the Virginia Commonwealth University Percussion Ensemble directed by Dr. Justin Alexander.

Percussion Ensemble - Level 3 - Digital Download SKU: A0.784338 Composed by Joshua Hauser. Instructional. Score and parts. 38 pages. Slide Ride #5288673. Published by Slide Ride (A0.784338). 1 Octave Scale Studies in 15+ keys for 4-part ensembles of like or mixed instruments If this is your first exposure to these scale studies, you are in for a treat! Donuts, if you make a mistake!The initial incarnation of these studies were written for trombone quartet and we would play them in the Tennessee Tech Trombone Choir with the challenge that whomever made the first mistake had to buy donuts for the rest of the ensemble. Since then I have brought that version to several clinics and warm up sessions. One time before I got to explain the title, a fellow trombone professor said, Oh, I get it! Don’t step in the holes!I only wish I had thought of that myself... Since we have one of the best donut shops in TN here in Cookeville, treating the studio to sugar coated goodies was always my intent.As with those initial exercises, you can vary these as much as you’d like.·     Choose a tempo.·     Choose a dynamic.·     Choose an articulation/style.One way I like to play these is to have one person be the model, playing the entire scale over and over while everyone else plays the fragmented versions. That helps everyone to keep on track and stay in time. Double or triple up the parts for ensemble cohesion with a larger group.Practice one key, gradually speeding it up to improve fluidity, or choose a variation and take it through all keys, playing version A, B, C, or D then skipping to play the same set in a new key.If you want an additional challenge, play them in different octaves or change the key. Play the F Major set in f minor (all forms), different modes, etc. Players really have to be on their toes to remember if they are playing melodic minor in the ascending or descending form! For jazz players, try swinging them in dorian or mixolydian modes.The variations are endless!If you are using these with transposing instruments, 1) is F Major in Concert Pitch, 2) is Bb Major in Concert pitch, and so on. When you reach a scale that is enharmonic for another key (Db/C#, Gb/F#, or Cb/B), they are presented in both keys for each instrument so Trumpets can play in Eb while the Flutes are playing in C# with similar examples for all keys.All Donut Etudes with the same volume number are compatible so you can play them in mixed quartets or large ensembles with one or more instruments/people on part 1 and a different instrument on part 2, etc. Since the quartets are all identical, conductors/coaches can use any of the scores to tell which part should be playing at what time. Once you have played a scale with one set of parts, everyone can rotate to a different part and play the same scales again!Enjoy!

Percussion Ensemble - Level 3 - Digital Download SKU: A0.935379 Composed by Dan Heslink. Contemporary,World. Score and parts. 30 pages. Pharaoh Publications #4978359. Published by Pharaoh Publications (A0.935379). Asian Symmetries                                                                      by Dan Heslink Asian Symmetries is a fanciful work which draws loosely from the musical procedures and sonic preferences of Indonesian and other Asian musical styles.  It is scored for three percussionists, each with their own battery of instruments. Gamelan-like impressions might be inferred from the cyclical nature of its rhythm, using metal plates like cymbals and gongs to mark large units of rhythmic time. Also evocative are the faster moving elaborations and a preponderance of metallophones in the instrumentation.   The work is medium to difficult in its demands. There are quick changes of instrument, planned to be manageable but requiring some attention to logistics  Each player’s performance station must remain stationary, with all instruments in reach without moving the performer’s position. Percussion I and Percussion III players must set up next to each other so that they may share the tenor drum. A selection of mallets that allows different striking surfaces to sound good without undue picking up and setting down of mallets is suggested.   Changes of meter and tempo occur, and an odd meter section sporting measures in 12/8, 6/8, 11/8 may require some additional attention. The instrumentation is selected to approximate Asian sounds with common western instruments. Performance time is 6:28. The composer, Dan Heslink, can be reached at dan@dheslink.com.

Percussion Ensemble - Level 4 - Digital Download SKU: A0.912929 Composed by Brandon Nelson. Concert,Contemporary. Score and parts. 8 pages. Brandon Nelson #2907437. Published by Brandon Nelson (A0.912929). For percussion duo.  Required instruments:  bells, vibraphone, xylophone, temple blocks, suspended cymbals (3 sizes).  General programming.  Advanced Intermediate level.Commissioned by Chris Nadeau for CAn-Duo.  Premiered at Colorado State University, October 16, 2016.It is common knowledge that the universe we see is composed of tiny particles known as atoms. For much of scientific history, it was thought that atoms were made up of three indivisible particles: protons, neutrons, and electrons.Thanks to contemporary advances in physics, we now know that these particles are, in fact, made up of much smaller particles and that these constituents sometimes behave in ways that confound what we thought we knew of the physical universe.In this piece, I have portrayed one type of these subatomic particles, the quark. There are six types (or flavors) of quark: up, down, charm, strange, top, and bottom. These are differentiated by the type of charge they carry and their masses.The first movement is Strange Quark. This flavor has a negative charge and is relatively light. Much like the particle, this movement often behaves in unusual ways.Top Quark, the second movement, portrays the quark flavor that is by far the heaviest. Slow and massive, this particle allowed for the study of the famous Higgs boson.The final movement, Up Quark, is light and decays quickly, much like this particle that contributes to both protons and neutrons.The universe is indeed a wonder to behold and its scale is hardly comprehensible to the human mind. And yet, it is becoming increasingly apparent that there exists an entire universe yet to uncover in the most infinitesimal pieces of matter. It is my hope that the wonder and mystery this inspires be conveyed through this piece of music.

Percussion Ensemble - Level 2 - Digital Download SKU: A0.958089 Arranged by David Moraga Jr. Contemporary. Score and parts. 51 pages. David Moraga Jr. #3396847. Published by David Moraga Jr. (A0.958089). There is another score that I have on here called Someone Watching Over Me and they are the same music but this is is a lot easier that that one because I don't want to discourage anyone for buying my music ( Middle School A Class ).