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This show is currently unavailable for the 2020 season in the following circuits:
"Folklore" was commissioned by Farmington United Percussion Ensemble for their 2017 WGI season. They went on to receive the Silver Medal in Percussion Independent A Class with the highest score in the ensemble's history.
SHOW SYNOPSIS:
"It's been passed down from generation to generation. These are our customs. They are our beliefs. This.....is our folklore!"
Featuring a visceral tapestry of tribal sounds and textures, "Folklore" seeks to demonstrate the various aspects of storytelling and history amongst a culture or tribe. Written in 3 distinct sections, the ensemble takes the audience on a journey through the tribe's thoughts and beliefs.
Section 1 showcases the passing down of stories from generation to generation. This is done through repetitive clapping and stomping patterns started at the beginning by a noble tribesman and imitated by the rest of the ensemble. This idea continues with a snare and bass feature where both sections play split parts on each other's drums to represent the passing down of stories from one section to the other.
Section 2 represents the idea of conflicting ideologies between tribes. The movement begins with a cymbal totem and drum totem. The cymbals praise their totem with a cymbal feature while the rest of the battery gathers around their totem. The cymbal feature is interupted with an abrupt and pointilistic battery moment. After these moments are passed back and forth the music eventually intertwines while the totems are joined together to transition into the third section.
Section 3 celebrates the idea that although there are differing beliefs amongst cultures there's a common thread that unites us. A final full ensemble moment dissolves back to the original tribesman at the beginning who performs his same clapping/stomping routine. The others imitate him and he puts his hand on the wall, which lights up, representing the ending of the final story in their folklore!
INSTRUMENTATION:
Glockenspiel
Vibes 1, 2
Xylophone
Marimba 1, 2
Synthesizer 1, 2
Electric Bass
Drum Set
Auxiliary Percussion 1, 2
Snare Drums
Tenor Drums
5 Bass Drums (4 Bass Part also available)
Cymbals
The Front Ensemble book contains a more advanced A Class vocabulary, at times bordering on open class. Both the Vibraphone and Marimba parts contain more advanced 4-mallet vocabulary
- 8th note and triplet patterns at 188BPM
- 8th-note triplet runs at 188BPM
- 4 mallet block chords
- Sextuplet 4-mallet permutations at 90BPM
- 1 count 16th note runs at 180BPM
- Cello bows required for bowed cymbal techniques
- simultaneous playing of a low tom-tom and left hand marimba part
- Utilizing birch rods in one hand and regular mallets in the other
- 2-mallet 16th note runs at 188BPM
- Inner mallet triplet runs at 188BPM
- 8th note and 16th note 4-mallet permutations at 188BPM
- Sextuplet and 32nd note 4-mallet permutations at 90BPM
- 8th-note triplet into 16th note runs at 188BPM
- 4-mallet block chords.
- Using rattan end of mallets
- Cello bow for bowed cymbal technique
- Native American Whistle/Pan Flute Patch
- Choir 'ahh' patch
- Drone Pad
- Tremolo Strings Patch
- Electronic Bell Patch
- Sub Bass Patch
- Native American Drum (djembe or taiko could substitute)
- Resonant metal object
- Mark Tree
- Shaker
- 2 Brake Drums
- Splash Cymbal
- China Cymbal
- Concert Bass Drum
- Tam-Tam
- Triangle
- Cello Bows for bowed cymbal techniques
The battery parts contain a tenor book that would be considered intermediate A Class. The snare and bass parts would be considered advanced A class with many Open Class moments.
- 16th note paradiddle, and paradiddle-diddle patterns at 188BPM
- Triplet rolls and quintuplet rolls at 188BPM
- Same hand and alternating 8th note flams at 188BPM
- Left Hand Back Sticking patterns
- Stick shots and buzz presses
- 16th note and 8th note split parts (similar to bass drum splits)
- intricate crescendo and diminuendo phrasing
- 8th note rolls, 16th note paradiddle, and paradiddle-diddle patterns at 188BPM
- 16th note cross-over sweeps at 188BPM
- Triplet rolls at 188BPM
- 8th note (1's) and 16th note (2's) splits and sextuplet (3's) splits at 188BPM
- VERY advanced bass drum 1, 2 16th splits including a few "split rolls"
- Playing split 8th note and 16th note parts on snare drums.
- 8th note and 16th note unison patterns at 188BPM
- Closer feature contains VERY advanced vocabulary including 16th note single splits, 32nd note 2's splits, and a sextuplet split single part between bass 1 and 2 at 188BPM
- The Cymbal book requires the following techniques as well as a specially made instrument described below:
- Crash/Crash Chokes
- Sizzles
- Siz/Suc
- Hi-hats as well as hi-hats played on the floor
- Zings
- Taps
- Triplet splits at 90BPM
- Crotales strapped to wooden sticks that are struck with a brass mallet are required in the second section. C#, E natural, F#, G#, A#, and B natural (from the upper octave set) are the pitches required. For construction details, please contact us.
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