Perch (digital)

Perch is a percussion chamber piece for six players that showcases a rich variety of percussive sounds and textures to bring its story to life. Commissioned with a dynamic, multi-instrument setup, it pushes performers both logistically and musically.

Difficulty:
Intermediate

Program Notes:
In the early moments of trying to envision a concept for my first percussion sextet, I recall walking to class and seeing two birds singing to each other while perched on a telephone wire. They seemed to be in the depths of a passionate and harmonious conversation letting out little chirps and whistles to one another while resting their wings. As the title suggests, this piece is inspired by these little birds and the conversation I overheard that day.

With the addition of the bird whistle, this piece serves as programmatic and is intentionally conveying a story. To me, I envisioned the experience of a hatchling working up the courage to leave the nest and sail through the skies. The piece begins with a lullaby as the baby bird is welcomed into the world, the bird whistle acting as the mother singing to her new little one. At rehearsal A, the young bird is now trying out its wings. The turbulent triplet rhythm is meant to serve as an exciting buildup to the hatchling’s first flight (finally realized at rehearsal C).

As all baby birds do, the little bird becomes old enough to leave the nest. Rehearsals E-H act as a goodbye to the mother bird, the solo vibraphone with the mallet laments and the absence of rhythmic percussion (rehearsal G) show the conversation of the two. While sad, there is also a feeling of excitement and wondrous curiosity as we finish the piece (rehearsal H to the end) with a sense of pending adventure as our little one fades over the warm horizon.

This story is what I envisioned while composing this work but I encourage you to explore the imagery that you see while learning this and use it to immerse your performance.

This piece is dedicated to six of my former students who lifted me to reach new heights.

Instrumentation:
2 marimbas, 2 vibraphones, glockenspiel, crotales, chimes, cajon, hi-hat, suspended cymbal, triangle, wind chimes, bird whistle, rainstick, shell rattles

Player 1: Marimba, crotales (bowed)

Player 2: Marimba, hi-hat, rainstick

Player 3: Vibraphone, suspended cymbal

Player 4: Vibraphone, chimes, bird call, glockenspiel, wind chimes, hi-hat

Player 5: Marimba (shared with player 2), crotales (bowed), chimes, bird call

Player 6: Cajon, crotales, triangle, shell rattle, wind chimes, suspended cymbal