Percussion • Youngstown State University • Dana School of Music

Suite No. 3 in C Major, BWV 1009 (ca. 1720) J. S. Bach (1685 – 1750) 

      Prelude 

            Johann Sebastian Bach was a master musician and composer "comparable in

     greatness of stature with Aristotle in philosophy and Leonardo da Vinci in art." He has

     arguably made the greatest impact of any composer upon western art music. While

     Bach held a highly respected position in the German Lutheran society, the rediscovery

     of his compositions after his death elevated his stature well beyond the notoriety he

     received during his lifetime. His style and works are studied is conservatories

     throughout the world and his techniques are a basis for music theory. 

2040's Sortie  Alan Abel (b. 1924) 

      A native of Zanesville, Ohio, Alan Abel attended The Ohio State University in

     1950 where his teachers included M. Whitcomb, J. Evans, and D. McGiness. 2040's

     Sortie, for solo snare drum was composed in 1947 and received its premiere the same

     year at The Ohio State University. The piece is dedicated to V.F.W. Post 2040 of

     Coshocton, Ohio. 

Virginia Tate  Paul Smadbeck (b. 1955) 

      Virginia Tate is a hauntingly beautiful and seamless work for the advanced   

     marimbist. The lyrical melodic line is interwoven within the context of an ostinato-   

     like accompanying pattern. The work is somewhat minimalistic in nature but

     technically the performer will be challenged by the constantly changing and ceaseless

     ostinato, which offers no rest. Musically, the performer will be pressed to find and

     present the melodic line within the busy texture. 

Kaleidoscope  Arthur Lipner (b. 1958) 

      This work for solo vibraphone was originally recorded on Arthur Lipner's

     compact disc The Magic Continues, arranged for jazz sextet and is an

     excellent transcription of Lipner's live performance. Lipner states about

     Kaleidoscope: "This piece is a transcription of the composer's live performance. This

     solo arrangement was adapted, for the most part, from a lead sheet with chord

     changes. Although the idea is to play the written notes exactly, they were at one point

     arbitrary and flexible as the composer created this arrangement. Knowing this, you'll

     hopefully gain a bit of insight into the process of balancing melody and harmony with

     chord tones and groove, and apply this to your own lead sheets." The performer must  

     be comfortable with independence as well as double vertical strokes within larger

     interval spreads. This composition provides a "kaleidoscope" of

     colors and timbres, with the melodic motives usually in the right hand.

Marimba Suite No. 2 Yoshioka Takayoshi (b. 1955) 

      1. Prelude into the Dawning Day

      2. Dreams of Foreign Shores

      3. View from a Lonely Room

      4. Whisper of the Spring Breeze

      5. A Legend Shrouded in Mystery

      6. Love and 

       Takayoshi Yoshioka studied at Toho Gakuen University and the New England Conservatory of Music. He is best known as a marimba player which comes across in

this programmatic work for solo marimba. Of these six movements, each title suggests a different image that is to be conveyed by the soloist. Marimba Suite No. 2 includes

 traditional Japanese styles as well as newer contemporary moments. 

Canned Heat  Eckhard Kopetzki (b. 1956) 

            Canned Heat is an exciting and innovative rhythmic adventure. Canned Heat was

     composed in 2000 for the 2001 Percussive Arts Society International Conference

     (PASIC) multiple surface competition. With its innovative rhythmic schemes and  

     metric modulations, Canned Heat placed first in the competition. It was subsequently

     programmed as the feature pieces for the 2002 PASIC multiple surface performance

     competition. 

            Canned Heat has a wide variety of surface sounds that range from a tin can, a

     resonant metal sound, a tambourine, 4 bongos, and 3 toms. The composition is divided

     into 4 large sections, each with their rhythmic motives and technical challenges.

     Throughout, there exists a feeling of possible eruption and then the unleashing of

     building pressure. Kopetzki changes meters and extends rhythmic phrases by keeping

     a constant eighth note pulse that is felt in many different meters. The climax of the

     piece is not until the final page of the piece where he interlaces the tambourine buzz

     stroke with fortissimo ostinatos, finalized by three accented fortissimo strikes which

     end the piece. 

Kokomo  Arr. Taylor (b. 1985) 

Jamaican Farewell Arr. Taylor 

      Assisted by: 

            Cory Doran              Drum Set

            Tyler Husosky          Double Seconds

            Eric Jeringan            Bass Guitar