Shock and Awe punches you in the musical face, right out of the gate. With an aggressively driving pulse, fast licks, and lots of loud noises, this three-and-a-half minute work could let your audience know who's boss as an opener or the first piece after an intermission.
Written for a large ensemble (13 players), this piece mixes typical percussion ensemble instrumentation with some more exotic fare, and the music is written in a similar fashion. Intermediate to advanced players will be needed to make this piece as effective as it should be.
This piece comes with full, bound score and a data CD including individual parts and an mp3 recording.
Difficulty: Medium +
Duration: 3' 30"
Instrumentation:
- Player 1: Bells, Shekere
- Player 2: Chimes, Doumbek
- Player 3: Xylophone
- Player 4: Vibraphone
- Player 5: Vibraphone
- Player 6: 4.3-Octave Marimba
- Player 7: 4.3-Octave Marimba
- Player 8: 5-Octave Marimba
- Player 9: Timpani (5)
- Player 10: Percussion 1
- Wind Chimes, Brake Drum, Roto Tom Frame
- Hi Hats, Sizzle Cymbal, Splash Cymbal, Gong
- Player 11: Percussion 2
- Ocean Drum, Concert Bass Drum
- Finger Cymbals, Zil-Bell
- Player 12: Percussion 3
- Wind Chimes, Tambourine, Triangles, Bell Tree
- Suspended Cymbal, Low Zil-Bell, Hand Cymbals
- Player 13: Percussion 4
- Medium-Low Tom, Wood Blocks (3), Wind Chime
- High Zil-Bell, Sizzle Cymbal, China Cymbal
- Splash Cymbal, Suspended Cymbals (2)
From the composer: When I was asked to write a piece for the opening of the Forbes Center at James Madison University, I knew I wanted it to be a spectacular work. Halfway through my writing process, the words 'shock and awe' came into my head. The term 'shock and awe' originated in a 1996 military doctrine written by Harlan K. Ullman and James P. Wade. The basis of this idea was to use overwhelming power, dominant battlefield maneuvers, and spectacular displays of force to paralyze an enemy and destroy their will to fight. This militaristic term is the inspiration for the piece. - Jamieson Carr
